Season 2 Sei Alchemist
by Lucianna Gene
Summary: Satori is back! New name, new identity. She has her old job back, and there's a new addition to the Satori family...read on to find out who!
1. One Two, And Throught And Through

**New Season! Sei Alchemist– Part 1**

The soldier sat at her desk. Her dried-blood-red hair touched the tops of her ears, and had a slight shaggy look to it. Her storm blue eyes had grey-black bags under them. She wore the blue uniform of the military. Her jacket over the back of her chair, she wore a white T-shirt under it. Beside her chair, a two-year old toddler sat playing with ABC blocks.

The toddler had dark brown hair, green eyes, and a slight quirk to his mouth. His name was Satori **(enlightenment)**Ryokou**(journey)**. He was the result of a love for her family and a need to protect her father. She had been raped, and the result sat on the floor next to her.

She had meant to put him up for adoption, and even before that she had wanted to kill him. But seeing the look of innocence in those eyes when she had held him in her arms at the hospital, she couldn't do it. He was hers. She had come to love him.

"Ryo," she said to her son. "Be a good boy for mommy and not make so much noise, okay?"

"_Hai_**(yes)**," Ryo agreed.

She sighed. Raising a kid in the military was hard. She hadn't had a mission in a year, but desk work was no walk in the park.

Mustang walked up to her desk and laid down a folder.

"Take a break, Satori," he ordered. "You look wiped."

"Can't, Ryo has to be watched at all times." She took a box lunch from a drawer and began eating.

"I'll watch him. You need rest, Lieutenant Colonel. I order you, as your commanding officer, to go take the rest of the afternoon off."

"Heh," Satori sighed again. "All right, Major General Mustang. But only in the common room. And only for an hour."

"Just get some sleep!" Mustang ushered her out of the office. "Go!"

"Yes, sir," Satori shuffled off down the hall.

* * *

She woke up– by her pocket watch– a half hour after falling into a restless sleep on the couch in the common room. A soldier stood above her in the uniform of the military. She had never seen him before, but she recognized him by his green eyes.

"Hello, Envy." She didn't get up.

"How is Ryokou?" Envy asked, sitting on the back of the couch.

"He still won't find out about any of this," Satori said firmly. "Not any of my past, or who his father is."

"I've learned to not push the issue," Envy held a hand up in defense. "How are you? You look tired."

"You care?" Satori laughed. "That's good for a chuckle or two."

"I'm quite serious," Envy let his hand brush a hair from her brow. "We must have our test subjects in mint condition. If you get too tired, that could pose a problem to our research."

"Yet another section to add to your charts." Satori got up, sitting with her head in a hand. "Why am I talking to you? It's been six months since any of you talked to me. There must be something you want."

Envy smiled. She hated that smile.

"Edward is coming home," he said.

"Really?" Satori pretended not to care. "Back from that non-alchemic world? Aren't you there too?"

"A part of me," Envy shrugged. "I was able to convince a civilian alchemist to help me strap a piece of my soul to a body of one of the military's dogs for a short while each month to check in on you."

"How touching," Satori got off the couch and stretched. "When is he getting back?"

"Winry and Scieszka are going to tap into the secretary's phone," Envy said. "Then Winry will get a briefcase with automail to repair Edward's limbs, and then his plane will come through the portal created between their world and ours."

"So?" Satori said. "He's a big boy. By default he is older than I am. You want me to go to him, don't you?"

"No," Envy said. His eyes snapped from green, to brown, to green. "I am fading back to the other world. Just know he will be back, sweet slave."

He walked around the couch, sweeping her into his arms. He kissed her then. She clung to him. It wasn't that she liked their kisses. She hated the bastard. But she had developed a subconscious need for them. She had become someone she didn't like at all.

"I knew you'd warm to me," Envy parted them.

"Don't count your chickens," Satori wiped her mouth.

He kissed her once more, then the man whome he had inhabited for a short while slumped into her arms, out cold. She lay him on the couch, and went to relieve Mustang of her child.

* * *

"He was an angel," Mustang smiled as she approached. "Just sat playing with his toys! How'd you get him to be so good? Hughes– he couldn't get Elicia to do that even if he had tried."

"I didn't do anything, he just knows." Satori came around the desk, giving Mustang's shoulder a reassuring pat. "And don't worry: Gracia's doing okay. I'm sorry you lost such a good friend."

"No need to pity an old man," Mustang got up. "Oh, and a mission arrived for you while you were asleep. Something about going to see a woman named Lyra, from what I could make out at a glance." He scratched his head as he walked away. "I've heard that name before..."

She looked down at the file. Opening it, she read through it with the speed of a highly trained specialist. Lyra. So she was being watched. Looks like the bastard hadn't been lying. Someone higher up was taking action.

"Honey, go over to Armstrong's office, okay?" she said to Ryokou. "Mommy has some business to do."

"_Hai_," Ryo picked up his three blocks and toddled off down the hall.

She waited until Armstrong received him, and gave her a thumbs up. She smiled her thanks and set off in the opposite direction.

* * *

She entered a ruined building. A brick clump crashed on her right, but she didn't flinch. She saw a person bent over in one corner. As she approached, the figure straightened, holding a bundle of weeds.

"Weeds not suit you, Lyra?" Satori stopped a few feet behind the other woman. "Or should I say Dante? Which do you feel better suited to?"

"Dante is fine," Dante replied. "Lyra died when I took her body. Unfortunately, I will need a new one soon, I am crumbling to bits."

"How did you get out of Gluttony?"

"You just have to know the right doors to check."

They were silent. Dante bent down and laid out the weeds in a crescent shape between them.

"I hear you were reborn?" Dante inquired, laying out each individual weed now.

"That is not your concern," Satori answered curtly. "Why am I here?"

"This and that." Dante smiled at her handiwork.

Satori waited for a proper answer.

"I need you to plant an alchemic rope on young Elric for me."

"Which one?"

"Edward. He will choose to go back to the other world to close his side of the portal. I need a trail to be left between the worlds so I can go through and find a new body, then live a life without alchemy."

"You won't give it up just like that," Satori laughed.

"The lengths one goes to live are drastic," Dante looked her in the eye, standing up. "I am willing to give up alchemy once I acquire a new body and get to the other side. I don't want to hurt anyone anymore, Satori-sama," here she curtsied, "I would be forever in your debt if you did this last favor for me."

Satori looked down at the curtsied figure of a once powerful alchemist. She taught Izumi Curtis, Ed and Al's teacher, she probably taught many other before that. She was old and tired, and needed help to find a good ending to a long life.

"All right," Satori agreed. "But on one condition."

"Anything!" Dante stood up, smiling. A sincere smile that struck Satori with surprise.

"Take me and my child with you."

"You and a _child_?" Dante asked, aghast. "With whome did you have the child?"

"Envy, if you must know," she was getting cross. "Do we have a deal?"

Dante looked Satori over.

"You will not double-cross me?" She asked.

"No, you have my word as a State."

"Then it is agreed."

They shook hands.

* * *

Satori held Ryokou's hand as they walked the grounds to their apartment. She had changed the guest room into Ryo's bedroom when he was born, and it changed quite often.

She unlocked the door and ushered them both inside. Putting her briefcase on the table, and laying her jacket across the seat of a chair, she rolled up her sleeves and went to cook dinner.

"What do you want tonight, Ryo?" she looked down at Ryo, clad in a small apron.

"_Okanomijyaki_**(pan-fry cake w/ veggies, meat, and egg)**," he replied.

"I wish you would get out of this phase," Satori told him, getting out the ingredients. "Really, Ryo, you can understand English, why not speak it?"

He just gave her a blank look. She sighed. He could be so stubborn in his moods. First it was the "mine" phase at the age of one– God, that had been awful– and now this.

She finished preparing the dish, and let it simmer for a moment.

"What to drink?" she pondered to herself. "No _sake_**(alcoholic beverage)**...what do you think, Ryo?"

"_Ryokucha_**(green tea)**!" he clapped his hands excitedly.

"Green tea it is." She put on the kettle.

Going back into the dining room, she looked through her briefcase. Nothing in there that couldn't be done after dinner. She stopped to look at the picture of her, Rikuno, Ed, and Al she had attached with a paper clip to the top flap. Sighing again, she closed the flap and went to take dinner off the stove.

Serving it, she poured the tea. She balanced the food on a tray she then balanced on her head. She picked up the tea in each hand– pot in one, cups in another. She walked to the table and carefully set it all down. Ryo sat down, waiting for his mom.

She sat down.

"_Tamasii_**(soul)**,_domo agrigato _**(thank you very much)**."

"_Youkoso_**(welcome)**," Satori replied, bowing her head.

They sat down and began to eat.

* * *

Over the next few days, Satori worked hard to finish everything that might tie her to the world she inhabited. She had many second thoughts about what she and Dante were going to do. Knowing Dante, the woman had no regrets at what she was about to do. But Satori thought of all she would leave behind. Unless she was able to find a way to create a portal or telephone between the two worlds, she was as good as a normal person.

She thought several times of telling Mustang, or Armstrong. But in the end she shunned the idea. They would only try to talk her out of it, and in the end she realized it was indeed the right course to take. She would start a new life, with Ryokou, and settle down with a normal job. No more dog of the military, no more pawn of non-humans.

She smiled to herself as she put aside the last of her paperwork for that day. Looking at the pile of paperwork for the next day did not dampen her spirits.

She got up and stretched. In two years she had gone from second-youngest state alchemist to deskman with a kid in tow. What had become of her? Without the homunculi making a fuss, and only a few wars that needed attending to, she was just another hired hand.

When would they act? When exactly would Ed get here? There questions swum around behind her closed lids as she leaned back in her chair.

* * *

"Satori!" Mustang sounded annoyed as she came slowly back to reality.

"Yes, sir?" she asked.

"Where is your report on your last assignment??"

"I didn't know it had been deemed an assignment, sir," Satori blinked.

"Well get on it, I want it on my desk before you clock out!"

"Yes, sir."

He left, leaving her with her humming computer and a pile of papers.

"What to write?" She wondered. "It's not like I can openly state what happened out there."

She made a decision, typed out her report in one and a half pages, printed it, and left it on Mustang's desk later that afternoon.

* * *

She was drinking coffee in the break room when they barged in.

"What is this??" Mustang threw her report down on the table.

"It appears to be my report, sir." She took another nonchalant sip of her coffee.

"It's crap!" he corrected. "No one could just sit in a coffee shop and talk about _old times_! The Fuhrer would never send someone on a mission to do that!"

"Either he did, or it wasn't a real mission."

This made Mustang pause.

"Rikuno Nishi!" he bellowed.

"You called, sir?" Rikuno entered the lounge, hands in pockets.

"What do you make of this?" he handed her the report.

"Appears to be a report, sir."

"Is it a mission report?"

"It is labeled as such, sir."

"But all it is is about talking and old times! Does that sound like a mission to you?"

"Neither did killing a brother sir, but that _was_classified as a mission."

Mustang thought a moment, then nodded.

"Yes, I remember. Seiji was quite upset."

Rikuno and Satori exchanged looks.

"May I continue my break now, sir?" Satori asked, calmly.

"When do you normally go home, Lt. Colonel?"

"Around two thirty, why?"

"I would like to speak with you in my office before you head off."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

Envy sat on Bradley's desk, grinning.

"Do you think she's guessed yet?" he smirked.

"I don't think so," Pride said from the window.

"The whole story of Ed coming back, and me being on the other side of the Gate!" Envy laughed. "She should know better!"

"Her hopes are high, and she has no reason to doubt now." Pride pointed out. "She has a child now, and her mind is preoccupied. Having not seen Edward for some time has caused her to believe he is no longer in this world. She would assume he is on the other side of the portal."

"What do you think she'll do when she realizes Edward is really just over by East HQ?"

"We'll set things up before that time comes."

* * *

She had left Ryokou with Armstrong again. She couldn't bear showing him to her parents, and telling them how he came to be hers, and how they had become grandparents. It would break their hearts.

She stood on the platform of the Central train station. She was going to go see her parents on their Alpine home. It had once been her home too, but she had left it at fourteen and never really looked back.

Well, almost.

She had killed her brother, Jiyuu, when he tried to kill her, and her uncle Uagane too. Her uncle Tsuba had been lucky to die in the battle field, a true samurai defending his country.

The train pulled into the station. She got on it.

* * *

"What brings you to our door?" he mother asked.

"I have come to tell you something."

"Then, speak!" he father laughed. "What is it?"

"I..." she bit her lip. Maybe she should have brought Ryokou after all. "...had a child."

Her father nearly spit out his tea, and her mother simply sat there, mouth agape.

"Pardon?"_Otou_ coughed.

"His name is Ryokou. He is now your grandson. I am sorry I did not tell you sooner." She bowed a formal samurai bow.

_Otou_ stared at her. Standing there in his casual Japanese robe, he looked like a warlord about to punish a disciple.

"I cannot be angry with you, Seiji," he sighed, sitting at the table with them. "It is only right you and Ed–"

"It's not his! I mean: Ryo is not his child!"

"Who's is he then, besides yours?" _Onaa_asked.

Satori merely looked ay her father.

"He didn't!" _Otou_exclaimed. "That cretin! He got you pregnant?!"

"I am afraid so, father. Ryo is a bastard. It is nothing if not my own fault."

"It is no fault of yours," _Onaa_said, hugging her daughter. "It is only his. Envy should not have done such a thing to you."

Satori looked at her father again.

"I told her everything," _Otou_explained.

Satori nodded. "So neither of you are mad at me? I am sorry I have not told you sooner, but..."

"It is all right, Yabusame," _Onaa_reassured. "It is not your fault, and I am sure the child does not have any of his father's...tendencies."

"I have raised him better than that!" Satori said. "He is my son! He may look like Envy, but he doesn't know about any of it. I won't tell him."

"What if he gets older, and more curious?" her father asked. "Even then, doesn't he have a right to know? Is it not his birthright?"

This caused Satori pause. She had not thought of that. That by not speaking of the issue around Ryokou, that she would prevent any unwanted questions. That she would never have to tell him anything.

"I never thought of that."

"He will deserve to know someday."

"But until then I will keep him sheltered; when he finds out, I do not want him to hate me."

"He will dislike you for a time, just as you disliked us for keeping your brother a secret from you– but the world will be kind to you, and things will get better."

"I hope you are right."

Oh, she dearly did.


	2. Shaken, Not Stirred

**Sei Alchemist– Part 2**

She closed the door to Ryokou's room. She'd just put him to bed, and needed the get to bed herself. But as much as she needed the sleep, she was too wired to.

A knock at her apartment door made her jump. She made her way to the door, rubbing her head.

She opened it to Major General Mustang.

"Good evening, sir," she fought a yawn.

"Hello, Satori." he greeted.

She stepped aside, and allowed him into the apartment. Sitting down at the kitchen table, they didn't speak.

"May I ask as to the honor of your arriv–"

"Cut the small talk, Lt. Colonel."

"Sir?"

He slid a picture over to her. A small stack of photos, to be exact. They were of her and Dante. Her assignment.

She felt a chill go down her spine.

"You weren't at a coffee house, were you?"

"No." she whispered.

"Why didn't you tell me? That Dante was back?"

"No one believed me when I said I was back from the dead, why would you believe me about Dante?"

"She's different, she's inhuman."

Silence.

"What are you going to do?" Satori asked.

"Cover it up. You're a good kid, Satori. I don't want your career ruined."

More silence. Damn him.

"I only work so hard because there's nothing else for me to do."

"There's Fullmetal." Mustang said.

"The only one who doesn't believe me."

"So what? So he thinks you're a new person. Start a new relationship."

"It can't work."

"Why not? Just because you don't want it to?"

"No, not that."

"Then why?"

The phone rang. Satori got up to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Is Mustang at the house?"

She froze. Looking over to Mustang, she debated whether to tell Envy the truth.

"No."

"Liar."

"It's none of your business."

"I want to see my child."

"Stay away from him."

Envy didn't speak. Mustang sent her a puzzled look. She mouthed _Envy_.

"Don't tell him I'm on the phone!" Envy yelled.

"You're an ass." Satori was about to hang up.

"Wait," Envy pleaded. "Please, let me see him."

"Why should I?"

"He's my kid, too."

Satori sighed. Truth hurt. And this was the truth.

"All right. But only for five minutes, and you have to come in a different form than your psycho palm tree."

"Fine."

The line went dead. She put the phone back in the cradle.

She went back to the table. Running a hand through her blood-red hair, she sighed.

"He keeps wanting to see Ryo more and more."

"Ryo_is_his kid."

"He's mine!" She said, fiercely.

"But half of his genetics are Envy's."

Fuckfuckfuckfuck.

"Damn it." she said.

Another knock on the door. She opened it to a young man in khakis and a blue T-shirt. Short brown hair, and green eyes.

"Hello, Envy." she barred the door, arms crossed.

"Let me see him."

"Five minutes."

She let him in, and she and Mustang walked with him to Ryokou's room. They watched as he sat by his son's bed, a look of remorse in his eyes.

"Why won't you let me see him more often?"

"You know why."

"Why can't I take him with me?"

"I don't want him exposed to your kind."

Envy was silent, looking at Ryo.

"It's all an act." he said at last. "With the others. I don't mean to–"

"Shut up."

The next three minutes went by painfully slow. No one spoke. Mustang watching Satori. Satori watching Envy. Envy watching Ryo sleep.

At the end, Envy got up and walked out. Satori followed him to the door.

"When can I see him again?"

"We'll see."

"Tomorrow."

"I said, we'll see."

"Please?"

"Envy!"

He searched her face. It was hard, and shielded to him. She hated him, he knew. But what had been done had been done. They couldn't change that.

He gave her a kiss on the cheek and then left.

She turned back to see Mustang looking at her.

"He really does care now. About Ryo, about you."

"I don't care. He's inhuman."

"Linking back to our previous conversation."

"That's different."

Mustang took the photos over to the fire, and threw them in.

"These pictures were never taken." he said. "And this meeting never happened. No one knows."

"All right."

Mustang gathered his things and headed to the door.

"Mustang?"

He turned back.

"Thank you. For doing this. I know what it could cost you."

"You're a friend."

He left.

* * *

The next day was rather slow. Satori sat at her desk, while Ryokou wandered around the office getting adored by the other desk soldiers. She smiled at his carefree attitude. How she wished she could relive those days. When the world had been more of a mystery.

And inhuman monsters didn't go around raping young girls.

_That's all over now, let it go._

But she couldn't let it go. It never left her mind. The proof of it stared her in the face everyday. Smiled at her when he woke up, and kissed her every night before bed. Her new reason for living.

Her reminder of her past.

But through it all, Ryo had been a blessing. He had shown her that even if bad things happened, there were good things that could be found in life. Good things _could_happen, if you just tough it out for a little while longer. It would all be worth it.

He was worth the pain. Worth the wait.

"Lt. Colonel?"

Satori snapped back from her thoughts to see Armstrong standing in front of her desk. A file in his hands.

"Yes, Major Armstrong?" she shook her head to clear it.

"A new assignment for you," he handed her the file.

Looking through it, her blood went cold.

_Satori Yabusame, Sei Alchemist_

_Assignment: Edward Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist_

_Where: East HQ_

_Status: Active_

_Leave Immediately_

She shivered.

"Is something wrong, Lt. Colonel?" Armstrong asked.

"Why didn't anyone tell me Ed was in East HQ?" she whispered.

Suddenly, the room went quiet. It was as if everyone had heard her question, and no one wanted to be the one to answer it. They all looked to Armstrong. Ryo, who had been playing with the puzzle cube on Master Sg. Fuery's desk, looked around.

"No one thought you needed to know." Armstrong answered at last. "We thought it best, being the late Satori's cousin, that it wouldn't be necessary to tell you."

Satori stood up, and leaned close to whisper something to Armstrong.

"You and I both know that's a lie."

"But what would it have changed?"

"I would know, and that would be enough. Instead of being surprised like this by the Fuhrer. I would have been prepared."

She straightened and grabbed her jacket off the back of her chair. Buttoning it fully, she walked over to her son and squatted down next to him.

"Ryo, I need you to be good and stay with Ms. Riza for a few days, okay? Mommy has to go on an assignment for work."

"All right," Ryo smiled. "Be safe!"

Satori smiled at him and ruffled his hair. She stood up to find Lt. Riza Hawkeye standing there with a file in hand.

"I'm sorry to drop him on you like this, Hawkeye," she apologized.

"No need, he's an absolute angel." Hawkeye smiled. "Just come back in one piece, all right? I worry about you sometimes, Yabu."

That had been deemed her nickname after she had come back from Heaven. Coming back with a new identity had changed a lot of things. Only a few people knew the truth about it, and even fewer accepted it. Hawkeye had been one of the few toy accept her for Seiji after she had come back, and had come up with Yabu as a nickname.

"Thanks, but I'll be fine." she turned and left the office, grabbing the file on her way out.

* * *

It took her at least two days to reach East HQ by train. Packing light, she had only needed a knapsack and the clothes on her back. She arrived at the station in green cargos tucked into her military boots, a white T-shirt, and a black over-vest. Her hair had been brushed, and pinned back to hide the fact that it was even more ratty from her sleep in the train.

She walked out of the station and over to the HQ building.

"I'm here to see the Fullmetal Alchemist," Satori told the desk clerk.

"He's upstairs in his temporary office." the clerk said.

"Temporary?"

"He is assigned to Central, but he was moved out here for a two month assignment." the clerk read off a file. "He stayed a month extra to wrap up a few things. He's leaving in a week."

"What room?"

"Just go up the stairs, it's the first office on the right."

"Thank you."

Satori climbed the stairs. Her feet felt like lead. She really did not like this assignment. What was the reason behind it? The file hadn't told her much of anything. Maybe Pride had wanted to stir things up, keep her on her feet, and angry? But why? They couldn't possibly know of Envy's visits to see Ryo. As far as the other homunculi were concerned, he didn't care anything for his son or her.

She reached the office and was ready to knock when the door was opened by Al. They looked at one another for a moment neither of them speaking. After a while he stood aside and let her in. She saw Ed sitting at a small desk by the window, writing out a report.

"Hi," she said.

He looked up at her. The frown that had been on his face deepened. His golden eyes showed her that he had not slept the previous night, and that he was made as hell.

At her?

"I was...uh...sent on assignment." Satori didn't move to put her bag down, or sit down.

He still didn't speak.

"I don't know why they sent me here, but all it said was your name."

"Get out." Ed said.

Now it was Satori's turn to be silent.

"Didn't you hear me? Get out!" Ed got up.

"I'm not leaving," Satori crossed her arms.

"You're not welcome here." Ed strode over to her, but stopped out of striking distance. "Leave."

"No."

They stood like that. Tall Satori and Short Ed. She could tell that he was furious.

"Why do you hate me?" she said at last. "I've done nothing wrong."

"You show up and claim to be my dead girlfriend, I'd say you committed a wrong!"

"I'm not going to stand here and try to explain myself to you."

"Then why are you here?!"

"I was assigned by the Fuhrer to come here."

"So now the Satori family is taking orders from Bradley? Please!"

"I wouldn't be here, Ed, if he didn't have me pinned."

"By what?"

"My child."

He froze. He had known that Seiji and Envy had had a relationship, but her cousin having a child in the same time period Seiji would have. It was highly improbable.

But not impossible.

"So, what do you want me to do about it?"

"I was told by a source that you were planning to cross into the other world."

"Who told you that?"

"None of your business, shrimp."

He glared at her.

"Fine. Then I won't tell you if it's true."

"Fine."

She took her pack off and rummaged inside it. She pulled out a bracelet with the name _Seiji_written on a silver slab in the middle.

"Here," she handed it to him.

He took it.

"It was Seiji's, and she would have wanted you to have it."

It was a lie. Satori had made it on the train ride over. It was the rope Dante had wanted her to plant. When Ed left, the alchemic reaction would leave a trail for Satori and Dante to follow. And when that time came, she and Ryo would leave this world forever.

"Thanks." Ed put it on, tucking it under the end of his glove.

They didn't speak for another short while. Taking seats opposite each other, neither of them moved. Keeping an eye on the other in case they moved.

"Ed," Satori said.

He didn't answer.

"Why do you hate me?" she asked again.

"People can't come back from the dead." Ed's automail hand balled into a fist. "I learned that the hard way."

"That's by alchemic means, but what if God sent someone back?"

"There is no God."

"Not for you."

"Yes! Not for me! My God deserted me years ago!" he yelled. "I can't just start believing in him again just because some woman who looks like my dead girlfriend says so! It doesn't work like that!"

"You believed me before. Back at my parents' house."

"We were younger, I was stupid to think so."

Satori felt his words stab at her heart.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, holding back tears. "I never meant to cause either of you pain, I just thought..."

"What?" Ed said, anger dripping from the word.

"...that maybe, because we had been so close, you _would_believe me. But so far only my parents really do. I thought..." Satori got up, swallowing, and wiping away the tear that threatened to come out. "Never mind."

She made her way towards the door.

"I'm sorry I wasted your time, Major Elric," she apologized, all business. "Please forgive my intrusion."

She grabbed the handle with her automail gauntleted hand, turned it, and left.

* * *

Satori had just come out of East HQ, when a hand grabbed her shoulder. Freezing, she turned to find Wrath behind her.

"Hello, Wrath," she spat out his name.

"How did the assignment go?" he sneered.

"How do you think?" she countered. "With nothing to go on, I was a mess in there."

"Pride's plan," Wrath ignored her venom. "To remind you of your place."

She began to walk away from him.

"Write in your report," Wrath called after her, "that nothing of interest happened. All that occurred was the exchange of military tactics for the planned attack on the surviving Ishbalans!"

Satori's shoulders shook slightly, but she did not turn around as she made her way back to the train station.

* * *

Back at Central two days later, she finished typing her report. Later that day, she handed it to Mustang.

"Lt. Colonel?" he called her back as she was about to exit his office.

"Sir?" she stopped.

"Is everything all right?" he asked.

"Peachy, sir."

"You don't sound so sure."

"How can I when Pri– the Fuhrer sent me to East HQ just to rattle me? He wants me to mess up, and have yet another thing to hold over me!"

Mustang sat at his desk, fingers laced under his chin.

"You know that, and I know that. But will we be able to convince others to believe that?"

Satori stopped pacing. He was right. No one besides her, Mustang, Ed, Al, and Rikuno knew about the Fuhrer's involvement with the homunculi. It would definitely be a tough sell to those closest to the President.

"Then I'm stuck?"

"It would appear to be that way."


	3. The Nerve of Some Men

**Part 3**

It was three days after her talk with Major General Mustang, and Satori was feeling a bit worse for wear. Ryokou had noticed a change in his mother's behavior, and had tried to get the help of "Aunt Riza", but to no avail. No matter what anyone did, Satori could not be swayed to get out of her dour mood.

It was all thanks to Pride and the others, as they had found out about Envy's visits with Ryo. It had caused her to once again become the center of attention among the homunculi, and Ryo was their new target now. As long as Envy stayed away from his son, and Satori did not have any communication with him (Envy), no matter who initiated it, then Ryo would be taken out of the picture.

And she would damn them all to beyond the Gate if anything happened to her little boy.

* * *

"Have I made myself clear?" Pride's grip on her kitchen table tightened.

Wood could be heard splintering.

"How do you expect me to respond?" Satori spat. "You're threatening my son!"

"All the more reason for you to behave and do exactly as I tell you to." Pride moved away from the table, advancing on her. "Your standing in the military has become well-known over the years."

"Threaten my job, but not my son." Satori glared at him, moving away.

"Your job may not be of any consequence to you, but what of those of your colleagues? Your friends?"

"Leave them alone!"

She stopped retreating and stood her ground. Threats to her job she could handle, but mess with her friends? Now she was pissed.

"Rikuno Nishi is doing very well," Pride commented. "It would be a shame if she were to suddenly be found to have a...mixed background?"

Her blood froze. After the war, anyone to be suspected of having Ishbalan descent was deported from their jobs, or any run or supported by the military. And if you were in the military you were thought to have been committing acts of treason against the State. Rikuno had done none of those things, but if the Fuhrer were to lay down false documentation...

She shuddered.

"What do you want me to do?"

"There," Pride lay a hand on her shoulder, cupping her chin with the other, "that wasn't so hard."

"I only do this to protect the people I care for, it has nothing to do with it being easy."

The homunculus moved from her to the counter. He picked up a group picture of Satori, Ed, Rikuno, and Al. He chuckled.

"How completely naive of you," he said. "Do you think we do this to people for fun?"

"Honestly, yes."

"Well, we don't." He put down the photo. "It is to survive. Without the Philosopher's Stone, we are shells of the human beings of our past. Becoming human may be some goal for the others. But power comes readily at hand. To control armies!"

"Sounds like your cup of tea."

Pride glared at her through his one eye.

"So in the end," he continued, "yes, it is fun. _I_may enjoy it, but others do not. Take Envy for instance– your lover– "

Satori flew at him in a rage. She pulled out her Sang Kuaw and held it to his throat.

"He is not my lover," she snarled.

"Oh no?" Pride smirked. "For a simple throw, he sure cares an awful lot about you, and his child. How regularly did he come to visit you? Before I put a stop to it?"

"Twice a week."

She tensed as his hand slid down the shaft of her weapon.

"I could take your life right now," his hand found her throat, and tightened around it. "Your little child– half homunculi, I might add– would have no mother, and I could mold him as I saw fit."

"You wouldn't though." Satori choked. "You need me."

"Alas," Pride released her, but moved so he was cornering her against the kitchen counter. "We may still need you to get to the others, but after your use to us is over, we will not hesitate to dispose of you and take the child."

"I'll defend him to my last breath."

Moving away from her and toward the door, Pride never took his eye off her.

"Never forget we let you live."

* * *

_**Pretty awesome flashback there, huh, fans? Anyone remember when Lust said that to Ed? I do!**_ ;P

* * *

"That's the last of the tofu, honey," Satori apologized. "I'll have to buy more after work."

"That's okay," Ryo said, slurping on his miso soup. "Can we buy some pocky?"

"You still haven't finished your last box!"

"I know, but I want to be ready for when I do."

"We'll see."

She sat down at the table. Ryokou had gotten past his "all phrases in Japanese" phase, and since then things had gotten just a little smoother. Now he was in his "all meals Japanese" phase, but hey, it was better than the previous.

"Is that nice man ever coming back?" Ryo asked.

Satori froze. How could he know about...?

"Which nice man, sweetie?"

"The one who can change shape, but always has green eyes, like me."

Envy. He remembered him? But how? He had been asleep.

"I don't know."

"I hope he comes back soon." Ryo said. "I like him."

Satori looked down at her miso soup and bowl of rice. Suddenly she wasn't so hungry, but she forced herself to eat anyway. Almost done, a knock at the door took her away from the table.

"Hi, Satori," Al waved from the other side of the threshold.

"Alphonse." Satori moved aside. "Please, come in."

"Please! It's Al," Al rubbed a hand behind his head.

Satori and Al sat down in the armchairs in front of the couch.

"What are you doing here, Al?"

"Well, I told big brother I would come back early and tidy up the apartment and stuff before he got back. I finished a few minutes ago, and I thought I'd pay you a visit."

"You picked an awkward time for one." Satori sighed. "I have to go to work."

"I could watch Ryo for you!"

"How do you–"

"Hawkeye told me."

It made sense, she was almost as enthralled by Ryo as she was devoted to Mustang.

Almost.

"I don't know." She a lip.

"Please?" Al pleaded. "I can take him to the park, and teach him alchemy, and–"

Satori's head shot up.

"No, no alchemy!" She hissed.

"Why not?"

"I am not exposing him to that!"

"But he's the son of an alchemist, how can he not be?"

"I don't do alchemy in front of him. He will be normal."

"All right, no alchemy."

Satori sighed and sat back in her chair.

"But yes, feel free to look after him. But if anything happens to him, I'll put holes in your armor."

* * *

Satori was sitting at her desk when everyone got up and made a mad dash to the door. She stayed where she was. Ed walked through the doors of Central, and everyone crowded around him.

"Mr. Elric!" "Major!" "Fullmetal Alchemist, sir!"

How they made her all sick. He was just another person, like anyone of them, he just chose to practice alchemy. Any one of them could be alchemists, had they taken the time to learn properly.

"Aren't you going to say hello?" Mustang asked, leaning on her desk.

"Why bother," Satori shrugged. "He won't want to see me. Besides, I don't want to."

"What makes you think he won't want to see you?" Mustang moved away as Ed made his way to her desk.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Elric," Satori gave Ed a curt nod.

"Lt. Colonel Satori," Ed replied. "Where's my brother?"

"How should I know?"

"He came home today, and he wasn't at the apartment. There's only one other place he would go."

"He offered to watch after Ryo today. I allowed it. Who are you to say if he can't baby-sit my child?"

Ed shrugged. His golden eyes flashed.

"I can't keep an eye on him."

"He's a big boy, Ed."

"He's still my little brother."

"Get over yourself!"

Satori stood up, making Ed back up a few paces. She glowered at him.

"Al doesn't constantly need you to look over his shoulder, Edward. Your heart is in the right place, but your head is not! Al _can_take care of himself, whether you choose to accept it or not."

"And who are you to tell me how to take care of my sibling??" Ed challenged. "As far as anyone knows, you were the only child of the Satori clan!"

His words bit into her. He still didn't believe her, that much was certain. What would it take? She had had to kill her only brother a long time ago. His grave still rested beneath a tree outside the HQ building, and she visited it often. She felt bad about what she did, but it had been necessary.

Ed, on the other hand, would rather give up more body parts to the Truth before he let his brother die.

"Being a mother, I believe I have at least some right!" she snapped. "And whether or not you choose to believe me about Jiyuu is your problem." She sat down again. "It was a pleasure as always, Major Elric."

* * *

Satori left the office early. She had to buy tofu for Ryo as she had promised, and also she did not want to be in the same building as Ed any longer than necessary. She knew that she was running away from her problem, but she didn't care. He was the most ridiculous of men, how had she ever loved him?

_Because he listened to me._

The thought in the back of her head contradicted her. She shoved it aside. If he listened to her as Seiji, then why didn't he listen to her now? Just because she had a different appearance did not mean she was a different person.

_But I'm a mother now, and motherhood changes a lot of things. Besides, he would never accept me again. I'm too different._

No! She wasn't different, just changed slightly. Her temper had gotten better, and she had learned to accept mistakes. But that didn't give Ed Elric, Mr. I-Think-I'm-So-Cool-Cause-I'm-Saving-the-World Fullmetal Alchemist to completely disregard her like that. The nerve of that man! No– that _boy_.

He still had a lot of growing up to do. Even though he had seen a lot of things most kids his age did not see, that did not make him an adult. True: he could wield alchemy, and handle people like no one's business. But when it came to dating and understanding of odd situations, he was clueless!

Snatching a few containers of tofu, some Instant Ramen, and miso soup from the shelves, Satori made her way back to the check out.

"Hello, ma'am," the cashier greeted her.

"Hi."

He rang up her things, and printed out the receipt.

"Would you like to use your military discount today?"

"Yes, please."

He threw away the first receipt, and entered in a code. Printing out the new receipt, he scribbled something on the back.

"Have a good day, ma'am." He handed her the bag.

She left the store, wandering along the sidewalk until she caught the trolley back toward Central HQ. Pulling out the receipt, she flipped it to read what he had written:

_Yabu–_

_I'll come to see Ryo tonight after dark. Don't worry, I'll be careful, they won't know I came. I don't want to hurt you or my son._

_E_

The nerve of men! Did he honestly think that the others wouldn't find out?? Walls had ears!

* * *

**For all of my fans whome I promised pics of Ryo in this chapter, I apologize. I'm not that good at drawing children, so it's taking a bit longer than originally anticipated. But theyare coming along great, and will be posted in Chapter 4.**

**On my word as a writer!**

**Thanks for supporting Satori! **


	4. And So It Goes

**Chapter 4 **

**(This chapter spans at least two or three days, in Ryo's perspective. Ryo Fans, this one's for you!)**

http://i2. Haha! The pics have arrived!

* * *

_A man in khaki shorts and a blue shirt sat next to his bed. His green eyes cut through the darkness of the surrounding room. _

_Green eyes like his own._

_A luminescent green, like the sea when one is drifting over a patch of algae. __Or bad ramen._

_The three adults, one being his mom, the other her colleague, and the third the man in khaki, all left the room. Outside, he heard them talking._

"_When can I see him again?"_

"_Soon?"_

"_Tomorrow?"_

"_We'll see."_

"_Please?"_

"_I said, we'll see."_

"_Please?"_

"_Envy!"_

Satori Ryokou woke up, eyes snapping open. Sitting up in bed, he peeled the blanket away from his still-static-from-the-dryer pj's.

Though he was only a few years old, he had the mind of a ten year old. Notice: mind, not tongue. His brain worked at a much faster pace than normal, but speech still came slowly to him.

Rolling out of bed, he made his way quietly to the kitchen. He froze halfway when he heard his mother taking to someone in the living room. Looking around the corner, he saw her sitting with the man he had seen a while ago. Same khaki shorts and blue shirt. Same green eyes. She spoke harshly, yet oddly quiet and sad.

Ryo wanted to go and comfort her, but he knew that if she caught him out of bed at this hour, she'd get a little testy.

He watched them.

* * *

"You can't keep coming over like this, Envy." Satori said, shaking her head.

"Why not? I don't care what happens to me. It's you and Ryo I want to see. I'd defend both of you if they came, you know that."

"I do, but I'm trying to avoid it!" Satori shot back, harshly. "I don't want him to know about the other half of him. His family. His father. I've protected him thus far."

"He's only a few years old!"

"He's got the brain of a ten year old, Envy! His I.Q. is above and beyond that of an average three-year-old. If he heard this conversation, he would realize you were his father. He would know in a heartbeat that I've been shielding him from the rest of the world."

Envy looked away.

"Does he have any alchemic powers yet?"

"I've seen traces of it as he sleeps. Being our son, it's engraved into his subconscious. But I haven't seen it yet in the waking hours. If I try, maybe he won't know he has them, and he'll grow up normal."

"Neither of us are normal, Seiji."

"I know that."

He took her hand in his.

"Let me move in, please?"

"No, Envy, you can't."

"You'd be safer. I could protect you from the others if I were around."

"You'd also be drawing them here by the pairs. Envy, if you stay, they'll know about your visits, and come after Ryo. Then they'll go after Rikuno, then Ed."

Envy cringed at the mention of his half-brother.

"Grow up!" Satori chastised. "Family feuds can't last forever."

"They can if you live forever."

They lapsed back into silence.

Deciding he didn't need that drink of water after all, Ryo returned to bed. But he couldn't sleep. His mother's conversation with the Green Eyed Man– whom he could now identify as Envy (a.k.a Dad)– kept playing through his mind.

He drifted off to sleep around two in the morning.

* * *

"Rise and shine, sleepy head!" Satori pulled back the curtains, letting in a blinding sun.

Ryo pulled the blankets over his head in protest.

"Come on!" Satori pulled back his cover. "It's Saturday! Lots to do. What do you want to do today?"

"Sleep!" Ryo said from beneath his pillow.

"Come now, you're three!" With the I.Q. of a ten year old, geez! "You can comlplain about sleep in twelve years."

She left, leaving Ryo to get up on his own.

He got out of bed and went to the bathroom. He splashed water on his face, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Looking in the mirror, he took a bit of water and speckled it over his dark head of hair. Smoothing it, he brushed it flat, then shook his head.

He brushed his teeth, then went back to his bedroom to get dressed. Noticing the green T-shirt and black shorts on his bed, he traded night clothes for day ones, then fastened his shoes with velcro. He got up and went to the kitchen, where Satori was making tofu and eggs.

"So I do have a son!" She smiled playfully. "What do you want to drink?"

"I'll get it," Ryo said, stressing each syllable so as not to get lost in the sentence.

He went to fridge, getting out the orange juice. Satori handed him a plastic cup. Going to the table, Ryo stood on a chair as he carefully poured the juice into the cup. The container of juice being mostly, his hands shook as he felt the weight lessen with each onrush of liquid.

Putting the juice back in the fridge, Ryo sat back at the table quietly. He thought about how best to bring up the conversation he overheard last night. Satori put the plates of food on the table.

He decided to say nothing.

* * *

Vanilla ice cream. Cold on the way down. French fries taste good covered in ice cream.

"Linking the ice cream, Ryo?" Satori asked.

He nodded.

"What's wrong?" Satori looked at her son sitting next to her on the park bench.

Ryo didn't answer for a moment, letting the French fry dissolve in his mouth as he chewed slowly, methodically. He swallowed, then:

"Who's my daddy?"

Satori nearly dropped her ice cream.

"Why do you ask, sweetie?"

"I heard you and the Green Eyed Man talking."

Oh, Ishbala, Lord Above, and God In Heaven! He had heard?!

"You weren't meant to hear any of that."

"I put the puzzle together. Green Eyed Man's my daddy?"

Silence, then:

"Yes."

"Why can't he come visit more?"

"It's complicated."

"But he's my daddy!"

Ryo had stopped dipping fries into his ice cream. He began to pout.

"Honey!" Satori knelt in front of him. "_Listen_to me: some very bad people are threatening your daddy, and he can't come here to be with us a lot– well, hardly ever– because they'll hurt you. Your daddy doesn't want anything to happen to you, okay? He's doing it to protect you."

Good God, what was she saying? Defending Envy? Was she really warming up to the palm tree?

"So, Ryo, he's doing it because he loves you."

Ryo nodded.

"Does he love you too?"

Satori thought about it a moment. Did he? It started out where he only laid her because it was fun to torture her while the others did their goddamned experiments on her psych and body. But had it turned into love? He certainly seemed to regret what he had done. But she believed that neither of them regretted Ryo.

"I think so."

* * *

Envy watched the two of them from the trees. Damn, he wanted to go over there and hold his child! But not in the open. No, he couldn't risk their lives like that. And Satori– he didn't want to lose her or Ryo. Against his brain, his heart had formed a link with Satori's. He...loved her. It was said to be impossible for a homunculus to love anyone. That being inhuman, able to live forever, and so on, made it hard for them to form any sort of relationship with anyone.

But he had.

"Damn!" Envy punched the tree next to him.

He wanted to hold her, dammit! Why did Pride and the others have to be such asses?!

He could move in, against Satori's wishes, and fight the mofos if they ever came near his family! But no. Satori would flip out, and as she said: Ryo couldn't be exposed to the others. Not if he would grow up to be normal.

If either of them knew the meaning of the word normal.

**normal: (adj.) conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; not abnormal; regular; natural**

Damnfuckdamnfuckdamnfuckdamnfuckdamnfuck! He wanted to comfort them!

Rustling in the trees behind him.

He made a quick exit upon seeing the glint of Pride's sword.

* * *

"Having a nice afternoon, Lt. Colonel?"

Ryo and Satori looked up from the bench to see the Fuhrer walking towards them, a cheery smile on his face.

"Very nice, sir. To what do we owe the honor?"

"Just a stroll through the park, Lt.!" he feigned sadness. "And I just happen to bump into you and young Ryo here."

"Highly unlikely, sir."

Ryo watched this exchange in stunned silence. He had seen his mom's boss before, but for them to be on relatively good terms with one another?

But she was tense, he saw it. She didn't like her boss.

"Mommy, I'm going to go play on the playground."

"All right honey, don't go on the big slide."

He ran off to the play structure a few feet away. Climbing up onto the monkey bars, he didn't want to hear the conversation between his mom and her boss.

"So, what are you here for, sir?" Satori folded her arms.

Pride looked around to make sure the presence he felt before was gone.

"Envy was here, I was tracking him."

Satori stiffened. He had come out in the open?? If he wasn't in with the homunculi, Envy went into hiding. And right now he definitely was not in with the inhuman group. But would he be so stupid as to come to a public place, where the others would be sure to track him, just to see them?

So he did love them. He put himself in danger.

That was all she needed to know.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I haven't seen him."

Pride eyed her for a moment. Deciding she wasn't lying: "Very well, but remember: your actions have consequences on those you care about."

He brushed past her. Satori shivered.

"Ryo!" she called. "We have to go home, I need to call someone."

* * *

They came into their apartment. Satori set down her bag and jacket in a chair, and went to pick up the phone.

"Who are you calling, Mommy?" Ryo asked.

"Someone I shouldn't have turned away." She pressed the phone to her ear.

One ring, Two rings. C'mon, Envy!

"Hello?"

"Thank God!" Satori sighed in relief. "I thought he had found you."

"No, I lost him right before he found in me in the trees by the park."

"So you were there?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Envy paused.

"I– I wanted to see you two."

"You put yourself on the line for us. You know that?"

"Hell, Seiji, you don't think I knew what I was doing??"

"I knew exactly what you were doing. You were willing to put yourself at risk to see us. If Pride had caught you, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"He would have also killed Ryo." Was that a stifled sob?

Satori smiled.

"But as parents we would never let that happen, would we?"

"No."

"Envy, move in."

Another pause.

"Huh?"

"Are you deaf? Move in with us."

"Are you sure? What about your fixation with Fullmetal?"

Her blood ran cold at the mention of Ed.

"He was in love with the other me, Envy. I can't change his feelings toward me. He hates me. I–" She choked, she was getting emotional. "– I did love him, once upon a time. But now I don't. I can't love him if he won't accept who I've become. You have. I love you, Envy."


	5. Battle of the Sexes

**Chapter 5!!**

**(Oooooh! Suspense!)**

_Okay, readers! When we last left off, I had written a chapter that switched from Ryo's to Satori's perspective. Back and forth, blah blah. As you read at the end, a lot was revealed! Did you like it?_

_If yes, or if no, please comment! I am always up for pointers, comments, concerns, anything!_

* * *

Satori sat up most of the night. She had put Ryo to bed at 9:00pm, after much protest to see Daddy. But she had insisted he could see him in the morning, and Ryo reluctantly agreed.

It was 12:00am now, and she was getting anxious. Where was he? The others hadn't caught him, had they? What if–

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

She opened it to Envy, and let out a relieved sigh as she hugged him tightly.

"I thought they'd gotten to you." She laid a hand on his chest.

"Not even wild boars could keep me away from you two. Where is Ryo anyway?"

"It's twelve in the morning, buster. Ryo went to bed hours ago."

"Shouldn't you be in bed too?"

"I wanted to see you safe first."

She stepped away from him. He took a step toward her, and she stepped back.

"I thought you wanted me here?"

"I do!" Satori protested. "I just don't know where we go from here."

He wrapped her in a protective hug. She buried her head in his shoulder, sighing.

"We could try and be a normal family. I could get a job and the local market, and you've already got a job in the military. We can work it out, Seiji." He kissed the top of her head. "Now, let's get to bed. Bags under your eyes won't keep our cover."

Satori laughed. They walked back to Satori's room, Envy's arm around her waist.

* * *

"Breakfast!" Satori called. "C'mon, boys!"

Envy and Ryo came into the kitchen. Envy had on boxers and a white T-shirt. He had changed from his palm-tree appearance to that of his original human form. Blond hair tangled, he yawned on his way to the table.

Ryo wore an oversized shirt reaching past his knees and socks. His brown hair was mussed and his eyes half closed. He sat down across from Envy.

"So, you're my daddy?"

"Yes I am."

"What's your name?"

"Daddy."

Ryo gave him a don't-mess-with-me-in-the-morning look. "You're real name."

"Well, I don't know the name my parents gave me, but people call me Envy."

"You look like the man mamma says she used to see."

Satori froze, watching Envy out of the corner of her eye. He visibly tensed, but made no other move.

"He's my half-brother."

"Same mother or father?"

Satori brought the morning soup pot to the table.

"Now, sweetie," she said to Ryo. "Don't ask daddy those types of questions."

"No, it's fine," Envy smiled at her. "It was my father."

Ryo looked at his mom. Her eyes were glassed over a bit, like she weren't really there.

Remembering something.

"Any other questions, Ryo?" Envy asked.

"No, thank you for answering them, though."

"No problem."

Satori sat down and passed the pot around. She and Envy kept exchanging looks.

"I do have one more question," Ryo said after a while.

"What's that, sweetie?" Satori asked.

"Are you two going to get married?"

Satori and Envy nearly choked on their soups. Man, that kid had a HIGH IQ!

"Well, uh," Envy stammered. "We haven't really talked about that."

"Maybe a private wedding?" Satori looked at Envy.

"Very few people."

"Maybe none at all?"

"Maybe–"

Ryo looked between them as they questioned each other.

"Stop!" he pleaded. "Why don't I just invite some of mommy's friends?"

"Well, uh, honey, it's a bit complicated..." Satori began. "You see, none of my friends really like your father, after what Mr. Elric has told them. After what he did under orders, I'm surprised even _I _like him. But I've come to love your dad, and I think we should have an exclusive wedding."

"You do?" Envy looked at her.

"I do." Satori smiled at him. "Just us, the priest, and Ryo as our ring bearer. That's all we really need, right?"

* * *

As Satori and Ryo got ready for the Sunday ahead, Envy hung back to watch.

He had lied before, he did know his name before he became a homunculus. William Elric.

Now he was a 400 year old man, and deep down, he knew Satori and even Ryo would die before he even got close. It was a realization that paralyzed him. The old Envy wouldn't think twice about such a prospect, but William cared for his newfound partner and child. He didn't want to see them grow old while he stayed in the prime of his life.

But in the end, he knew the outcome that a marriage like theirs would bring. Although it went against every fiber in his being, he wanted Seiji to be happy as long as she lived. He loved her, and he would marry her, if that's what it took to keep her smiling.

* * *

A week later, Satori was in a wedding dress store with Ryo. It was after her shift at work, and she had persuaded Armstrong to come with them. She still wasn't sure how, but he was sitting outside the dressing rooms, waiting for her to come out.

The dress was lovely. It was a strapless white, with a one inch train in the back. White sequins sparkled all over it, and a white sash laced the middle, with a flower pin over the center of the bow. The matching choker was also white with sparkling sequins.

She came out of the dressing room. Her dried-blood-red hair had been trimmed– but was still boy-short.

"You look stunning!" Armstrong burst into tears almost immediately.

"Thank you, sir." Satori blushed slightly. "I've never been a dress type of girl, so I needed an opinion."

"Well, you have my blessing!" He hugged her.

It was a jarring hug.

"Uh...Alex..." she coughed, "I need...air."

"Oops," he let her go. "So, who's the lucky man?"

Satori bit her lip, wondering how best to answer the question.

"William," Envy came into the store. "William Elric."

He was in the same guise– well, his original body– as he had been that morning. Dressed now in a long sleeved blue shirt and slacks, his blonde hair had been pulled back into a loose ponytail. Though it was clear he hated the hairstyle.

"Not by any chance related to Major Edward Elric?" Armstrong's voice lost its buoyancy, becoming a bit dark, threatening almost.

"Unfortunately." Envy mumbled.

"William!" Satori elbowed him. "Yes, sir, he's..."

She caught sight of a flash of gold outside the shop window. Looking up, she saw Ed, face red in fury. He stormed into the shop, metal arm pulled back to slug his older half-brother.

Satori stepped between them hurriedly, catching his metal fist with her own gauntleted hand.

"Get back!" Ed snarled. "I may never get another chance!"

"I can't let you do that, Mr. Elric." Satori said, voice cold and unfeeling.

"Why the hell not?!"

"He is my fiancé."

Ed's face paled, his arm went slack along with his jaw. Al came up behind him.

"Uh...I'm happy for you, Satori...I think..." Al looked at Ed.

"How long?" Ed asked.

Satori looked at him as if he were an alien.

"How long what?"

"How long were you going to wait before telling me you were going to marry my arch rival??"

Envy took a step toward the young alchemist, intending to hurt him. Satori laid a hand on his arm, forceful yet calm. He stopped, glaring at his brother.

"Like it or not, _sir_, he is your brother. I love him, and I have chosen to marry him. Whether I have your blessing or not means nothing to me."

"But he's..! You weren't going to tell me?!" Ed nearly lost it.

"I don't need to tell you anything. I am under no obligation to share my personal life with you anymore, Mr. Elric. You made it quite clear years ago."

Ed looked dumbstruck.

"I don't even...but it's not possible! Seiji's dead! You can't be her, it's _insane_. How can you, a relative–" The range of emotions spinning across Ed's face were like a fast-motion movie.

"I have told you once, and I will continue to say it, Edward: I am Seiji, back from Heaven, to finish this life by any means necessary. My changing identities was merely a way to get to homunculi off my tail– which, unfortunately, failed in the end. I don't care if you believe me."

She turned, pulling Envy with her.

"If you two will excuse me, I have to buy a wedding dress."

Satori and Envy made their way back to the dressing rooms. She had him wait outside with Ryo while she changed back into her uniform.

"You looked lovely in that dress." Envy commented.

"Thank you." Satori smiled. "Have you gotten the tuxedo?"

"Yes." Envy was silent a moment. "Why did you bring Armstrong?"

"I had to have someone give me an opinion."

"I could have done that."

"You were busy getting the tuxedo."

Silence. They could hear Armstrong, Ed, and Al having a heated discussion in the front of the store.

Satori came out with the dress draped over her arm. She, Envy, and Ryo went back out to the front of the store.

"And that!" Ed shouted, pointing at Ryo. "Is the result!"

Envy made a move to jump on Ed, but Satori stopped him again. Handing him the dress, she walked up to Ed.

And slugged him across the face.

"As your outranking officer, and a mother, I cannot let you talk about my child that way." Satori flexed her human hand– she wouldn't strike him with her metal one unless...well...you can guess.

Ed rubbed him quickly swelling cheek. Armstrong looked between them.

"You can't just punch him like that!" Armstrong protested.

"Ah, but I can." Satori corrected. "As I outrank all of you, I am responsible for correcting bad actions. Calling my son _that_ qualifies as a bad action." She shot Ed a death glare. "Against my better judgment, I am extending a wedding invitation to all three of you."

Envy's mouth fell open.

"No, William. They are invited, if they promise to behave."

Ed crossed his arms. Al looked at the ground. Armstrong straightened.

"I guess I could bear to watch you two get hitched." Ed said at last.

"We would be honored to see you two make your vows." Armstrong said.

"Best wishes!" Al said.

Satori went up to the counter, paid for the dress, and led Envy and Ryo out of the store.


	6. A Death in the Family

**Chapter 6**

**(OOOOOOOOOOOHHHH!! The suspense is killing you now, huh?)**

The weeks leading up to the wedding were murder. Quite literally. If looks could kill, Satori would have been killed and resurrected– only to be killed again– many times over, in many different styles. Word got around fast in Central, and pretty soon every soldier in their side of the militia knew Satori was getting married, and to whom. Some people didn't even know all the details, and merely went along with everyone else.

All except Roy Mustang.

His presence in the room silenced all the whispered nasties around the office, made the mean glares and impaling stop. His own glare silenced all of it. Satori was greatful to him.

"I'm glad you found a man who will love you no matter what your exterior guise, Satori," he said one day, as they sat in his office, toasting her wedding with a glass of beer.

"Thank you, sir," Satori smiled.

Mustang was as good a friend as anyone could ask for. He didn't judge her decision to marry Envy. Rather, he helped her celebrate it, and had come by the apartment often enough that Envy had invited him to the wedding himself. Mustang was a member of the family now. Although he still didn't like what the other homunculi did, or who they followed and why, he accepted Envy.

That was enough for Satori. It meant the world to her, and more.

Hawkeye was another matter. She stuck by Satori as a friend, and made no comment on her choice to marry Envy. But when she thought Satori wasn't looking, her eyes would betray her, and Satori knew deep down that she only accepted it because they were friends. Hawkeye didn't like Envy anymore than the other soldiers did.

It stung, but Satori never let anyone see the holes that their words and thoughts made in her. She only patched herself up and moved on with life. Only Mustang and Envy ever saw them– even then, only a glimpse.

* * *

The final week before the wedding, Satori was running late to the rehearsal. Luckily, she didn't have to run there with Ryo, as Envy gladly looked after him during the day. She didn't expect the next thing that happened.

A car pulled up beside her as she tripped on the sidewalk.

"Get in." Breda's voice.

Satori straightened, and kept walking. The car followed her, Breda's window down just enough for his voice to be heard, but not to be seen.

"Get in, Lt. Colonel Satori. Don't make me come and get you."

"Why should I?" She didn't stop walking. "I have a wedding rehearsal to get to."

"It's the wedding we want to talk to you about."

"We?"

Satori stopped, looked around, then got in. Havoc, Feury, and Breda sat on one side of the car. Their being spread out causing Satori to sit on the other side, alone.

"We'll drop you off." Breda nodded to the driver.

They rode in silence for only a few moments, when Havoc said:

"Why are you marrying him?"

"Why does anyone marry anyone?" Satori lifted an eyebrow.

"Are you sure you're not making a mistake?"

"I am perfectly calm in my decision."

Havoc sighed. Satori looked down at his bandaged stubs where his legs would have been. It had been at least a few months since he had gotten out of the hospital, after his mistake with Lust. Satori's heart reached out to him. No one deserved what he had gotten.

The only reason he was here now was because he was part of Mustang's team before. And as a member of the old team, Breda and Feury had kept him in the loop of the militia.

"We just worry," Feury confessed. "I know you've been hurt–"

"Oh, please!" Satori huffed. "I got hurt, yes, but I don't regret it! Getting raped got me pregnant, and I was ready to give up the baby, but I didn't. Ryo is the best thing that ever happened to me; now Envy and I are getting married, not only because we love each other, but because Ryo is our son! Our responsibility!"

The car stopped in front of the church. Satori got out, leaving the three men open-mouthed in the backseat.

* * *

"I thought I was late!" Satori paced the area in front of the alter. "How long does it take a groom to get to a church on time?"

The song "Get Me to the Church on Time" began playing in her head. Oh God, what if something happened to him and Ryo?

"I'm going to use the phone."

She went over to the phone by the door. Quickly dialing the apartment, the dial tone greeted her.

"Damn." She went back to the priest. "I'm going to have to ask you to reschedule us, sir."

"It is all right, daughter," the priest replied with a smile. "All will become known in the end."

Satori thanked him and ran outside. Hailing a cab, she went straight back to Central HQ.

* * *

Back at HQ, she walked purposefully through the building, heading toward the Fuhrer's office. Heads turned to glare, but she barely noticed them. Her eyes gazed straight ahead.

She pushed open the door. Fuhrer Bradley and his assistant, Ms. Jones– Sloth– were talking.

"Ahh, Lt. Colonel– " Pride began.

Satori shut the door behind her, with the other hand using her alchemic power to push Pride backwards and hold him to the wall. Papers and hair whipped every which way. Satori's eyes blazed.

"Where is he?" she snarled.

Sloth made a move to stop Satori, but a look from Pride stopped her.

"You know who I mean!" she spat.

"Oh, you mean your fiancé?"

She nodded, jerkily.

"He's off exacting revenge."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means that your ex is back on the case for the Philosopher's Stone, and Envy has taken this time to exact his revenge."

Her blood ran cold.

"Where?"

"I won't–"

"WHERE!?"

* * *

Damndamndamndamn! Back down to the place where it all started. The place where she herself had been taken, where Ryo had been conceived.

It sent a shiver through her.

She ran full sprint down the spiraling slope, to the door she had sworn years ago she would never walk through again.

Now she would run through it. But which one of the Elrics would she save?

Satori didn't stop at the door, but pushed her way through. Sprinting through the deserted foyer, through the chamber where they had performed experiments on her, past the room where...ugh.

She burst through into a ball room. A flash of light momentarily blinded her as the Gate opened. Ed came out, straining against...black, rubbery arms?

Envy, Dante, and a brown/pink haired woman stood off to one side, congratulating one another on a job well done. But what had happened? Satori didn't know.

When Ed came out again– at least, it looked as if it were– Envy and Dante's faces expressed surprise.

"Ed??" Envy backed up.

Ed staggered, falling onto one knee. Gluttony– from beside the circle in the middle of the room that held Al– drooled onto the floor. His eyes were white as pure china dinner plates. Satori recognized the gluttony within him almost instantly. The fat fool had been turned into an eating machine.

It was then Satori saw Wrath's body, lying on the floor. His leg and arm– the one's Ed had lost– were gone. He lay whimpering, whispering, "Bring my Mommy back to life!"

"Brother!" Al said from the circle.

Ed looked up. "Al?"

"Isn't this extraordinary, Ed?"

Ed looked around.

"Dr. Marcoh?"

Dr. Marcoh changed into Hughes. "You should know, Ed. Weren't you the one who entrusted him to the Fuhrer?"

Ed's face hardened into a scowl.

"It's as if you killed him, and...me as well. It must be hard, dealing with a face you know."

"You think it's that hard?" Ed and Hughes/Envy engaged in combat. Ed brought Hughes/Envy to his knees, holding him in a head-lock. "I've killed homunculi before. Even the one with the face of my mother! It's not that hard!"

Envy turned into Trisha Elric.

"All right then, Ed, kill me."

Trisha/Envy used Ed's momentary to throw him off. Ed stumbled back, and clapped his hands together, ready to transmute.

"Stop this at once, Edward!" Dante ordered.

"You have no right to order me!" Ed snarled.

"Not that I care, but, don't you care what happens to your brother?"

Ed paused.

"The Philosopher's Stone has been activated. Any transmutation at all, and you know..."

Envy came up next to Ed's ear, "...what will happen."

Envy kneed Ed in the stomach. Ed got back up and ran after Envy. The homunculus flipped over a few times before sending himself high in the air, landing in front of what he thought was an unconscious Wrath.

Wrath grabbed Envy's ankle. Envy began to step on the younger humunculus.

"Bastard!" Ed dove at him, sending him and Envy sprawling.

Envy and Ed struggled on the floor. Envy flashed to Trisha.

"Ed, stop this!" Trisha/Envy said.

"Don't toy with me!" Ed hit Envy.

Envy became Marcoh.

"Ed!"

Ed hit him again. Envy turned into Hughes.

"Ed."

Ed hit him again, getting angrier. Envy became Mustang.

"That the best you got!" Ed pulled back to hit him again.

"You want to see it so badly?" Envy sneered, turning back to his preferred form.

"If you can show it to me!"

Time stopped. Ed should not have been surprised by Envy's appearance in his base form– William– but he was. Seeing his brother, who shared the same father as him, in a time when he was feeling...well, only he knew for sure. Satori had no idea.

But he froze, and gave Envy his opening.

Envy ran him through with his arm-turned-blade. Ed's face turned to Al for an instant before he slid off Envy's arm and onto the floor, where he lay, bleeding.

This wasn't the man Satori had fallen in love with. Not the man who had fathered her child. Not the bloodthirsty monster in front of her, no!

Not the man she was about to marry. But there was William in there somewhere.

Satori heard Rose calling out Ed's name in anguish. But try as she might, Satori couldn't bring herself to move. Ed couldn't be dying, he couldn't!

"Ed!" Satori cried, starting to run towards him.

Dante latched an arm around her, holding onto the baby with the other.

"Don't!" she hissed. "What will be will be."

"No! Let me go!" Satori struggled, but Dante's grip held.

Envy looked up in alarm. Seeing Satori, he paled.

"Seiji..." he began.

"Why?!" Satori cried. "What did he do to you?! He can't kill you!"

He got up and walked over to Satori, turning back into William. Dante let go of her and she fell into his arms. Satori tried to tear free, but he held her there.

"Satori!" He whispered forcefully in her ear, holding her to him. "Don't fight me, please!"

"But why??" she sobbed.

"He knows how to kill our kind, my kind."

"That gives you the right?"

Over his shoulder, she saw Al kneel by Ed.

"Nii-san's still alive!" he said. "Look, he's still warm!"

"No!" Dante started for him.

Envy turned away from Satori, turning back into his preferred form.

"Get him!" Dante yelled at Envy.

But Al started the alchemic reaction before they even got close. The symbols on him lit up, and a bright light filled the room. The light swept the breadth of the room, setting a reaction in Satori's gauntlet and automail leg– where she had etched an alchemic circle.

* * *

Ed stood in front of the Gate. It was closed. He stared at it, expecting it to open. Suddenly, Envy appeared beside him.

"Where does this go?" Envy asked.

"A place called London...maybe Germany..., I think." Ed's voice contained no emotion.

"Is Hohenheim there?"

"Possibly."

Envy walked up to the Gate and wrenched it open.

He flickered between appearances, settling on Ed's, before he vanished into the Portal.

Then Ed left the Gate.

* * *

Satori watched Al disappear. Rose knelt at Ed's side, cradling him in her arms.

Dante had fled a while ago, leaving the baby at Satori's feet. Picking him up, she held the baby to her chest, while watching Rose hold Ed as he came back to life.

"Why am I crying?" Ed asked. "Where's Al?"

Ed looked at the arm that he had been using to mop at his face. It was the one that used to be automail. It was now flesh. Rose didn't answer. She didn't have to.

Ed got up. Taking off his shirt, he looked for something to draw with.

Alchemic circles drawn on his arms, his chest, and head, Ed stood in the middle of the alchemic circle on the floor.

"No, Ed!" Satori yelled from her point with Rose at the edge of the room.

"He has to," Rose whispered as things began to glow. She cradled the baby in her arms again. "Al's his brother."

Everything flashed white again.

* * *

It had been two weeks since Ed and Envy had disappeared. Satori had had to go to the church and apologize to them for not having the wedding. The only way she could explain was "the groom had taken off, no one knew where he went".

Ryo reached the age of four, and Satori had decided it was time to put him in pre-school. She enrolled him, with some stares from the teachers. Whispers of "why did she enroll him so late?"

A day after Satori had enrolled Ryo in pre-K, she got her first visitor in weeks.

"May I come in?" Mustang asked from the door.

She let him in without comment. They sat by the hearth for a while. They both knew that Satori had taken her mandatory vacation time for the past few days, and it showed. The apartment was cleaner than it had been, but the atmosphere had changed.

"You miss him, huh?" Mustang asked.

"Who?"

"Envy."

"He nearly killed Ed, why would I?"

"Because you loved him."

"I loved Ed too."

Silence.

"You know, it's okay to admit it."

"Admit what?"

"That you fell for a guy. That you still loved your ex. That you wanted to have both of them against all odds."

Damn. Silence stretched on.

"I know. But it hurts, knowing that you're fiancé killed your ex because they have a brotherly feud."


	7. Try to Remember

**Yabusame Chapter 7**

**(I wrote the last chapter in 4 hours...up till midnight Cali ST)**

Satori sat by the hearth long after Mustang left. His words still rang in her head.

"_It's okay to be torn between two loves."_

That's what he had said after she had called the fight a "family feud". The words, instead of making her feel better, had torn her heart even more. She didn't want to be torn between Envy and Ed. Seiji had loved Ed, and hated Envy; Yabusame loved Envy, and pitied Ed. But they were the same person, just with a different exoskeleton. So why was it that she had such a hard time choosing?

Did she even have to? Both of them had gone through the Gate. She had seen it. The alchemic reaction from her gauntlet and automail leg had transported her soul to the Gate, where she watched Ed and Envy's interactions until Ed returned to the Gate and left for...London, was it?

But she hadn't been able to do anything. No crying out, no movement of her body. Nothing. She had only been able to float there, a disembodied soul, and watch her ex and fiancé talk and then disappear, one by one. The fact that she hadn't been able to stop either of them haunted her. She should have been able to do something! But the Truth had kept her immobile, unable to do anything.

Unable to stop them from going away.

Now she sat in front of the hearth, with the embers of the fire about to die. It was near sunrise, and she hadn't slept at all.

_I could take one more day. _Satori thought. _I might just do that. _

She went to the phone in the kitchen. Dialing, she left a message on the main office phone. Hanging up, she found she didn't want to sit anymore. So she took out a pencil and her sketchbook, and began doodling.

Pencil flew over paper. More shadow over here. Thicker neck line. Bushier eyebrows. Bolder jaw line.

Five hours flew by in the blink of an eye. Satori sat at the table, using paper after paper, piece of tape after piece of tape. She hardly realizes what she was doing. More tape, more paper. No, not _that _much.

Finished, she put down her pencil and paper to examine her work. Laid out before her was a bunch of pictures of the people and inhuman folk she had come in contact with after meeting Edward Elric. They were all taped together to form a kind of group photo. Though a group of bust shots didn't really qualify as "group shots".

"What am I going to do?"

With no one to watch Ryo, she couldn't go off and brood by herself as she used to. She didn't regret him one bit, but she wished she could leave him on his own. But a nagging, motherly voice in the back of her head told her not to, told her to sit it out and wait. But it _was _a Tuesday. She could drop him off at preschool and take some time to herself.

_It might be a good idea_. Seiji's voice said in the back of her mind.

_Ryo will worry about you, though. _Yabusame's voice countered.

Satori put two fingers on each side of her temple and began massaging it. She had become two entirely different people! It was all...His fault. And yet...no, it was her fault. She had let this "cousin of Seiji's" story get out of hand. Half the time she was Seiji, and the other half of the time she was Yabu, and Seiji didn't exist. Seiji would be a dead cousin six feet underground. It drove her insane!!

_Why, God, why? Why didn't I just stay dead?!_

_Because it wasn't your time to die._

She blinked. It had been so long since she had talked to Him. Satori had never really believed in any God at all, and it wasn't until she had died five years ago that she had gotten her first glimpse of Him.

But he had answered her. She tried again:

_What do you want from me?_

_I have plans. _He said. _Plans for you and Edward._

_What plans? _she asked.

_Plans that involve a little world called London._

_But that's on– _

_The other side of the Gate, I know._

_But why there?_

She heard Him sigh. _In order for mankind to exist, there must be a balance. Between the two worlds connected solely by the Gate. _

_But how will my going over there change anything? Ed's the one with a destiny, I'm just a tool._

_But you don't want to be._

_No!_

_Then do something about it. Maybe you need a change of pace, a different world, a different crowd._

_I'd leave all of my friends behind, my son..._

_Your son may go with you. I do not make it my goal in life to break up a family._

_But– _

_Trust me. When Al and Wrath go to the abandoned underground city of Ishbal, follow them. _

_But when?_

But His voice was gone from her head. Sighing in frustration and agony, she started pancakes.

* * *

Ryo came out of his room a few hours later. Satori popped the pancakes out of the heating oven, and onto two plates. She put down the syrup, and Ryo took it.

They ate in silence. She could tell Ryo sensed her discomfort; the kid was a mastermind, for a four-year-old.

"Mommy, am I going to preschool today?" he asked between bites of pancake.

"Yes, sweetie."

"Are you going back to work."

"No."

"Where are you going?"

Did she know, really? By now she knew that Al was a ten-year-old boy again. He had retained none of his memories from those years with Ed, and was now even younger than before. By all accounts he should be fifteen. But the Gate didn't work that way. In return for his body, Al's memories had been taken. That and Ed's arm and leg, again.

She would go to the Rockbell's, in Risembool. It wouldn't take very long. A few hours there and back on a train. Spend some time with Al.

Her eyes began to tear, but she forced it down. Al had been the only one of the two brothers to be kind to her after she had revealed she had come back from the dead. What would she do without Al's kindness and understanding?

"Finish your breakfast_, _sweetie." She said after a while. "I'm going to drop you off at school and then I have to go catch a train."

"Can I come with you?" he asked.

"No," Satori said. "You have to go to school. I will be back to pick you up later in the afternoon."

"Who are you going to go see?" he asked. "Is it Winry? Oh, please, Mommy! I want to see her too!"

Ryo had put down his fork and was staring at her with those big, green eyes that– when he did such a face as he was now– looked like sad puppy eyes the size of dinner plates. If it weren't that she was so hurt by recent events at the moment, Satori would have laughed at his attempt to dissuade her.

"No," Satori got up. "Finish up and get dressed. I plan to catch the next train out."

* * *

As it happened, she not only caught the next train out, but the one right before. Dropping of Ryo at preschool, she had gone straight over to the station. Doing so, she had to pass through– or by, rather– headquarters. This action got her some cold stares, though not death inflicting.

If not for Ryo, she would have asked to die. First her ex boyfriend and fiancé go through the Gate, and then God expects her to just waltz through it to, and with Ryo?? How could she manage all that? There were questions to ask, people to make arrangements with, things to settle...and a world that she could not just leave behind at the drop of a hat.

No, she would not take Ryo to the other side of the Gate! She would stay there until she figured out all the needed to. She would find a way to come back and be with her son. She would never go back to that other world.


	8. Road to Shambala Part 1

**Sei Alchemist– Chapter 8**

_Two Years Later_

Satori Yabusame sat at her desk, head in her hands. Ryokou was in school, and there was a pile of paperwork on her desk that she did not want to do.

Riza Hawkeye stopped by. "What's got you down, Yabu?"

Yabu was Riza's nickname for her. No one else called her that in the entire military. No one dared. After Ed and Envy's disappearance from the alchemic world, Satori had been depressed, and had even taken a few weeks off– not as if she hadn't had the time, she rarely ever took a vacation. Lately she had been doing desk work, relaying all assignments to one of the other soldiers around her, or just not answering calls.

She had Mustang worried most of all.

But he had opted to move up to the north, where he stayed at a small– from what Satori had heard _extremely _small– cottage. He had asked to be demoted, and now just sat up in his northern cottage. One eye gone and on a personal oath not to use his flame power, Mustang was rumored to have become a hermit. But Satori didn't believe it. She wouldn't.

Mustang wouldn't give up, would he?

"I'm waiting for that day, Riza." She sighed and leaned back in her chair. "I work my butt off for two years and it never comes. Ryo is six, now, and I still don't know how to tell him where his father went."

"He'll figure it out," Riza assured. "The kid's smart. Besides, the day may come sooner than you think."

"How?"

"Al has been spotted in the dessert region near Leor, where Major Armstrong and Rose are. And I happen to have a mission over in that region, with your name on it."

"Really??" Satori beamed at seeing the file Riza held out to her. "Oh, Riza, you're the greatest!"

Riza smiled. "It's your best lead, get going. I'll watch Ryo while you're gone."

Satori waved in thanks as she ran out of the office, out of the building, and down the steps.

* * *

Leor. What would it be like? She'd done her research, and found it was built on top of the old– well, newer than the old _old _one, but still old– city of Ishbal.

It was only a few stops away, and she could smell the sand in the air flowing through her cracked window. Satori had dressed light. A skirt that could be bound into pants, and a shirt with sleeves that could be rolled up to the middle of the upper arm and bound. Her army boots stayed. No way would she risk any other shoes.

Her blood-red hair blew slightly as a small gush of wind entered the car. It wasn't extremely hot out in Leor, but it was hot enough. Hotter than Central, at least.

"Next stop, Leor station!" the conductor called.

Satori hadn't brought anything other than the clothes on her back. As the train stopped at the station, she embarked swiftly and made her way to where she knew Rose would be.

* * *

Okay, maybe Rose wouldn't be where she thought she would be. Walking out to the center of the town, Satori saw Armstrong getting ready to use his alchemy.

"This out to be good." Satori smiled, leaning against a building, in the shadows.

Armstrong used his power to make a new building for a merchant who stood in the middle of the square with Rose. By the look on the poor man's face, one could tell he was pleased to have his building back, but not so happy that it had Armstrong's likeliness on it.

"Quite a show," Satori came to stand beside Rose.

"Satori!" Rose started.

"Hey," Satori said to Armstrong, as he came over to them.

"Ah! Yabusame!" Armstrong wrapped her in a hug.

The ground began shaking. The center of the town– a giant transmutation circle in the ground– began to glow pink. Armstrong ran to it, to stand on the outside of it.

"Is that a–" he began.

"– transmutation circle?" he and Satori finished at the same time.

Rose ran out in the midst of all the running children.

"Everyone!" she shouted. "Get inside!"

She and Armstrong began to gather up children, while Satori ran inside with some of the others.

"Alchemy almost wiped this city off the map!" Rose said. "Who would dare use it now?"

The transmutation circle drained of the pink color. It and the ground it was on began to crumble. Pink light shone from beneath the rubble, and with it came armor. Lots of armor. They climbed out of the ground and started to advance on the people.

"So many!" Armstrong gawked. "But where are they coming from?"

Satori stared at the advancing metal. A great wind swept through the square, causing a tornado, and picking up most of the armor. Lightning flashed, and through the dirt, Satori could see a man figure in a red coat. Much like Ed's. The hood was pulled over his head, but as the wind continued to blow, it came off to reveal blond hair pulled back in a ponytail, and a younger version of Edward.

Alphonse.

"It's Al!" Rose gasped.

The armor turned on Al as the wind died.

"Watch out!" Armstrong ran toward the mob of scrap metal.

Al didn't flinch. He clapped his hands together and brought them to rest on two suits of armor. Touching the two metal hands together, he infused alchemy into each one. Satori knew the trick, but had never tried it. Putting a piece of your soul into a metal object, and being able to control it like a puppet.

The two armor-puppets turned around and fought back the other attacking ones.

"Alphonse Elric." Armstrong greeted. "You look well."

Al turned around in alarm.

"This is Major Armstrong, Al, he's a friend." Rose said.

"Rose!" Al perked up. "Ah, Major! Yes, I've heard about you. You helped us on our journey, right?"

Armstrong's features fell.

"So you still haven't recovered your memory from those years?" His eyes widened.

Al turned around, clapping his hands, and slammed them into the armor behind him. Alchemically infused, the armor turned around and punched at another one.

"What was that?" Armstrong gasped.

"I'm controlling the suits of armor I touched." Al explained. "I transferred a portion of my soul into it."

"A portion of your soul!"

"Don't worry, I'm fine, for some reason it just comes naturally to me."

Al ran into the fray of armor. Satori walked up next to Rose.

"No such luck, I guess."

A soldier ran up to her.

"Lt. Colonel Satori!" he gasped for air. "Second Lt. Hawkeye on the phone for you!"

"I have to take this," she apologized to Rose and Armstrong. "Notify me if he leaves."

"Why?" Rose asked as Satori ran after the soldier.

"I need to follow him through!"

Armstrong and Rose stood there, dumbstruck at her words.

* * *

"Hawkeye?" Satori picked up the phone.

"There's an earthquake here too." Hawkeye said.

"What?" Satori's grip tightened. "At the same time?"

"To the milisecond," Hawkeye reported.

Satori swore, causing Riza to inhale sharply.

"Sorry," Satori apologized. "Our earthquake began with an alchemic reaction. And soon after, Al showed up."

"Alphonse?"

"Do we know any other Al?"

"Has he regained anything?"

"No. His memories with Ed, the military, and myself are completely gone. He seems to be able to put his soul into objects, however. Do you think it's an action he remembered from his time with Ed, without linking it to any particular event?"

Hawkeye took a while to respond.

"It's possible," Riza accepted. "Are you sure there's nothing else?"

"No, nothing."

"All right, then. Just wanted to let you know. I'll cover for you in Central. You follow Al."

"But–"

"I have you covered, Yabu. Follow Al, find Ed. You've been searching for something to do. Do this, and come home safe."

"Thanks, Riza."

* * *

Satori caught a train to Risembool. Al had arrived there at least a few hours before her, Winry had said, and was now lying in bed, resting.

"He had another one of his deja vu moments." Winry admitted. "I think he's beginning to remember."

"Let's hope so." Satori hugged her friend. "Any word?"

"No, Ed hasn't contacted anyone. I think he's really gone, Satori."

Satori felt Winry stiffen, holding back tears. They walked inside, sitting down at the table. Winry sipped at her coffee half-heartedly. Satori accepted tea.

"Can I see him?" she asked.

"Hey, Winry, I– Oh!"

Satori turned, hearing Wrath's voice. Her instinct told her to blast him, but she refrained. Wrath stood there, looking as young as he had when they last saw each other in the underground ballroom. His missing arm and leg had been replaced by automail.

"Hey, Wrath," Satori greeted.

Wrath said nothing, moving out of the doorway and down the hall.

"He doesn't speak much to anyone anymore." Winry confessed. "He seems to be keeping a secret from me. I don't know."

"I'm sure he's just quiet." Satori assured. "He's had a rough life."

* * *

Satori sat at Al's bedside. He was tossing a turning, mumbling every now and again. His soul was reaching through time and space, trying to find Ed. She could feel it within him, moving from one plane to the next, while at the same time never really leaving his body.

Having alchemy in almost every element sucked sometimes. Her psychic alchemy picked up a few things she never wanted to know. Like how Al's soul was being hurt so badly by not knowing where his brother was.

Rose had told her after the portal began sucking the armor back to the other world, Al had tried to grab a ride. His instinct had told him something, and he had acted on it. If he had, Satori would have lost him for sure. As it was, according to God, he and Wrath were going to open another portal, and Al would go through. She just had to be sure she caught the ride when he did, if she ever planned on finding Ed or Envy.

Only one way to find out. Satori lay her hands on Al. One on his forehead, and one on his stomach. Closing her eyes, she channeled his soul with a combination of her psychic alchemy and her meditation practices.

_She was inside a suit of armor, but it wasn't herself she was. She had become Al's soul. The armor looked and felt like the one he used to wear during his years with Ed when they searched for the Stone._

_The armor was dumped into a vast, circular room with a bunch of the others from Leor. Satori/Al could hear other people talking._

"_What's going on?" A man's voice. "How did it open? We've never been able to open it twice in one day, no matter how hard we've tried."_

"_They've come back to us," another man, "from Shambala!"_

"_What did you say?" It was Ed!_

_Satori/Al heard a punch being delivered to someone's face. Ed grunted and fell down._

"_We'll ask the questions here, what have you done?" said the first man._

"_Check for survivors!" the second man commanded._

_Men came at the pile of armor, checking inside each one._

"_None." someone reported._

"_What have you done, boy?" the first man clicked his gun._

_A woman's voice rang out as her heels could be heard clicking into the room._

"_The road to Shambala is difficult," she said. "It seems your hypothesis was correct professor."_

"_A lucky guess," the second man's voice. "This is the young boy I was telling you about."_

"_Hello Edward Elric," the woman greeted Ed, her voice calm and unfeeling. "Your father was once part of our society and still helps today."_

"_I don't know where he is, or what he told you lady–" Ed began._

"_My name is Eckhart, thank you."_

"_Thule Society," Ed spat out the words, "kingdom of Shambala! You people seem to be obsessed with any world but your own!"_

"_We have that in common, then." Eckhart said._

_The gun clicked again, muffled by being held against...Ed's head?_

"_Stop it, Hurst!" the professor's voice again._

"_His plans for Germany are in motion!" Hurst said. "What if this boy tells our secrets to Berlin?"_

_Satori/Al heard Ed take the gun in his automail hand. He snapped the gun away from himself and ran in a half circled before diving into the armor pile._

_Ed froze when he saw Al's armor, its eyes filled with a light that told anyone that the soul inside it was alive._

"_Brother?" Al looked at him. "Brother!"_

_The armor pile went flying in all directions as Satori/Al stood up with Ed trapped in a bear hug._

"_Ohbrotherit'ssogoodtoseeyouit'sbeensolong!" Al rambled, nuzzling his brother's cheek._

"_I can't breathe!" Ed gasped._

_Al put him down. "But you've changed! You've gotten taller now."_

"_Al." Ed looked up at Satori/Al. He hit Al's head off. "What, you'd think I'd still be a runt when I'm eighteen!?"_

_Gasps from the surrounding crowd._

"_The suits empty!" the professor exclaimed._

"_But how can that be?" asked Eckhart._

"_I don't know, it could be some form of alchemy..."_

"_Don't you see??" Hurst exclaimed. "It's possessed by a demon!"_

_The surrounding soldiers began to sire at them._

"_You haven't changed brother!" Al accused as they ducked down behind a barrier of armor. "Still causing trouble!"_

"_Don't need the lecture!" Ed hissed. "Let's just get out of here."_

"_Right."_

_Ed leapt onto Al's back. Al picked up a suit of armor. They ran screaming into the fray of bullets, past the soldiers, and into the hall._

"_Now what?" Al asked._

"_Just go!"_

"_Which way?"_

"_Any way!"_

_They ran off down the hall._

"_I've dreamed of this place." Al said. "It's pretty."_

_He and Ed sat on the bank of a river, staring at the moon on the water._

"_Yeah," Ed nodded. "But tell me how your life's been, how'd you get stuck in that armor again?"_

"_Again?" Al asked. "Oh...yeah. You attached my soul to armor just like this, when my body was lost in the Gate. Sorry, brother, I don't remember any of that."_

"_You don't..."_

"_I remember trying to bring mom back, then the next thing I remember, I'm in Central, and a girl named Rose is taking me home."_

_Ed smiled, sadly._

"_I wonder how they opened that portal, will they do it aga–" Al began to shake._

"_Al??" Ed asked._

"_I'm sorry, brother," Al apologized. "The transmutation I used to transfer my soul, it doesn't last for long. It looks like I've run out of time."_

"_Al, don't go yet!" Ed pleaded. "It's too soon!"_

"_It's okay," Al looked at him, "I think I know how to bring you back now. That portal that they use, I'll try to open it from my side, too."_

"_Al!"_

_Al's eyes faded, and with it, his soul returned to the alchemic world. Satori's piggy-backing conscience stayed for a moment, remembering Ed's face. Then she, too, faded back._

Satori came back before Al did. He still slept soundly, and she didn't want to wake him.

She went to the window, looking out onto the fields, and the blue sky. Al inhaled sharply as he woke up. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him begin to cry.

Through the window, she saw Wrath look up towards Al's room. It was as if he could sense Al's dreams, too. Just as Satori had.

What was he planning?

* * *

Satori stopped at the door. It was early morning, and neither Winry or Pinako were up. Wrath and Al had gone a few moments before, and their combined alchemic traces piqued her senses.

When she was younger, her father had taught her how to use her senses she acquired through meditation in the real world. She used them now to follow the homunculi and his charge. They couldn't have gotten far, for the scent was still strong.

She followed them to the entrance to the underground city of Ishbal. Down the stairs– instead of down the spiral slope– they went, Al asking Wrath where they were going, and Wrath not answering.

The stopped close to the bottom, but far enough to see that, even through the buildings, there was a transmutation circle on the city.

"Just like the one in Leor!" Al commented.

Wrath looked at it, then turned his head just so to the side. Satori knew he sensed her, maybe even saw her, but he made no comment. He followed Al to the bottom. Al activated the transmutation circle. It glowed blue, then faded to black again.

"It failed." Al muttered. Satori recognized him having a flashback. "I _did _see the Gate that day. If this one works the same way, then the thing to make it open is...it has to be..."

Crumbling rock. A monster jumped out and into the path of Wrath and Al.

"Gluttony!" Wrath glowered.

"Gluttony?" Al stammered.

"He's one of the seven like me, a monster!"

Gluttony pounced, making Al and Wrath jump free of his path. Al tried reactivating the circle, with no luck. Gluttony went after Wrath, causing the stones beneath their feet to rise and fall with his movements. Wrath ran from him, until Gluttony's banging on the stones caused one to fly, and catch Wrath in the back, sending him flying. The white and red pussy monster that was Gluttony sprang after him as both homunculus and giant brick flew through the old city of Ishbal. Crashing into a pillar, the brick behind Wrath shattered and sent the boy falling a few yards from where Al stood, transfixed in horror.

Gluttony carreened into the walk, bringing an onrush of water, causing it to fall from the sky like rain. The water level rose slightly, but only enough to bring Al up to mid-calf. The red puss oozing out of Gluttony on either side shot out, dropping into the water in solid little stones. Little did Al know, it was the Philosopher's Stone.

Wrath saw the stones hitting the floor in every direction. Summoning his strength, he pushed himself to his feet, slid under Gluttony, and fell into the red water, where he grabbed some stones. He ate them whole.

Gluttony flung him out of the water. With the stones giving him new strength, Wrath severed two of Gluttony's heads. Landing on the floor, he then engaged a third that tried to eat him, keeping the jaw open by sheer muscle. He let go and went up further on the neck. He twisted it so much that that head also was severed from Gluttony's body.

The overgrown homunculus screamed.

Gluttony sent Wrath flying yet again. With planning, Wrath landed in the center of the transmutation circle. Standing up, he flung his arms wide.

Satori tried her best not to scream as Gluttony lunged for him.


	9. Road to Shambala Part 2

**Chapter 9**

Satori tried her best not to scream as Gluttony lunged for him.

Wrath punched the ground with his automail arm, anchoring him where he stood. Gluttony struck, biting Wrath around the middle.

"Do it." Wrath ordered. "Transmute, take us back."

"Of course, the final ingredient!" Al exclaimed.

"That's right," Wrath choked on his blood. "That's why they couldn't transmute properly. They needed a soul...I won't let you see you give your life for saving your brother. That will never happen, ever again!"

Wrath screamed as Gluttony tried to fling him loose of the circle.

"Do it!!"

"Wait, you mean you–"

Wrath nodded. "I just want to go home, where Mommy is."

Gluttony bit harder, spurting more blood. Wrath cried out in pain.

"Now!!" he screamed.

Al shook where he stood for a moment. Then he ran forward and transmuted both homunculi into the circle. Satori took her moment and leapt in after him as the light engulfed their surroundings.

* * *

Satori looked through the portal, using her psychic alchemy. But it wasn't her eyes she looked through, they were Ed's.

_The portal on the other side lit up. Ed made a move to try and do...something._

"_I wouldn't do that," Eckhart said._

_She pointed and Ed/Satori looked up._

"_Dad!" Ed exclaimed. "Why is he here??"_

"_We found he was an excellent way to keep the Great Serpent calm." Eckhart shrugged. _

_Ed/Satori glared at her._

"_Dad, how did they catch you??"_

"_Easily. I wanted to create a portal between our two worlds. Using science and alchemy..."_

"_I'm getting you down!"_

"_Son, no!" Hohenheim commanded. "It is a fitting end. I failed to bring my son back to life. But I turned him into a monster instead. I took countless lives to save myself, and in the end that didn't stop him from hurting you."_

_Ed/Satori grimaced. _

"_So what!? How are those reasons for helping them!?"_

_Hohenheim looked up at the portal, and it was then Ed understood. _

"_You're trying to get me home..."_

"_...by using my life as a sacrifice, when they transmute Envy to open the portal–"_

"_Forget the portal!" Ed screamed. "I don't need to go back!"_

"_Give Al, my regards?" Hohenheim asked._

_With that his father turned around and pulled Envy's dragon jaw closed on himself, ending his life. Ed's face clouded over with agony and disbelief, and he sank to his knees as the blood cascaded down in a shower of red._

_The portal glowed to life. But Ed/Satori wouldn't look at it. Instead, he looked down. As he did so, Eckhart pulled out a gun and shot him. Ed fell over, headed over the ledge and for the ground._

She was still inside him, spiritually. Ed wasn't dead, then? But the gun...her spirit looked down, and saw the bullet in Ed's bad arm. Eckhart was a bad shot, lucky for him.

"_Really, you're the lucky one, Ed." Alphons said._

_Ed cracked his eyes open. He was strapped into a rocket. He shook himself awake._

"_What is it–"_

"_Shh!" Alphons put a finger up to silence him. "I set everything up so you can go back home. You can take this second rocket while Eckhart isn't looking."_

_Ed/Satori looked down at his fake arm._

"_Right in the bad arm," Alphons laughed. "Good thing she's a bad shot. Our rockets peak at two kilometers a second. You should punch right through."_

"_Wait a minute!" Ed protested. "I never said I wanted to go."_

"_I'm not giving you a choice Ed," Alphons's face grew serious. "We're real Ed, we're not just part of your dreams. I care, and I make mistakes. I may not live much longer; just don't forget me."_

_He squeezed Ed's hand, then shut the rocket shut and set it to launch. It shot straight to the portal. Through the window, Ed/Satori saw the soldier try and shoot at the rocket, then shoot Alphons._

Satori's spirit left Ed's body as he touched the fringes of the portal.

* * *

The portal on the other side of the Gate opened, shedding the old Ishbal in light. The plane flew up and out, trailing a cloud of exhaust behind it.

"What is that??" Al's eyes followed Ed's plane.

Another rumble. Satori paled as another, larger plane-like machine rose out of the portal. It was Eckhart's plane. She had come into this world. Dammit!

Al stood in the middle of one of the blue, glowing transmutation circles. Satori was torn between staying with him and following the plane.

Making a choice, she ran in the direction she had heard an earlier crash. Coming up to an area where the ceiling of the place had caved in, she saw Winry and Scheska.

"What the–" Satori sputtered. "Winry!"

They all froze as Ed's plane flew passed them, only to crash some ways off. Eckhart's plane flew over his and passed all of them. Scheska looked at Winry.

"So now do you believe in space aliens?"

Satori and Winry both rolled their eyes.

"Winry!" Al called, sliding down a collapsed wall and running over. Catching sight of Satori, he didn't miss a beat. "Satori, right?"

Satori nodded. "No time for talk; Winry, that was Ed's plane!"

"What??" Winry shouted.

Ed's plane flew over them, then. It had lost both of its wings and now skidded on the ground before crashing into the buildings a few yards from where their group stood. Small flamed licked the sides of the plane. Winry caught sight of Ed lying on the ground between the two halves of the dismembered plane.

She dropped the case she had brought with her and ran to him, Al started to follow, but thought better of it.

From their spot, Satori could hear both Ed and Winry.

"I was wondering when you'd show." Winry said.

Ed looked up. "Winry!" he breathed a sigh of relief.

Winry pulled him into a hug. Ed blushed slightly.

"Welcome home!" she said.

"Thanks."

Scheska, Al, and Satori all ran to them. Scheska had the case Winry had dropped.

"Scheska...Al!" Ed smiled.

"I knew I'd see you again!" Al smiled back.

"Yeah."

Satori stepped out into the dim light.

"Hey, Ed."

Ed stared at her. It had been years since they had spoken.

"Hey...Sato–"

Satori pulled him into a hug.

"Don't scare me like that again, you stupid little man!" Satori hugged him hard.

"Uh...can't...breath!" Ed choked.

"Sorry." Satori let go and stepped behind where Winry knelt next to Ed.

"Brother, what are they?" Al asked.

They all looked up to see Eckhart's planeflying above them. Its large bulk crashing into anything in its way.

"It's a rocket-powered air ship, and it's armed." Ed answered. "They came to conquer this world, using any power they can take from us to fuel their own war."

"It's my fault." Al whispered.

"So you're the one?" Ed asked. "You opened up the gate on this side?"

"No!" Al ran off.

"Al!" Ed tried to get up, only to fall down.

The limbs he had used on the other side of the gate didn't work here. Winry pulled the case from Scheska and knelt by him again.

"Same old Ed." she shook her head. "Home for five minutes and you're off on another mission. But you can't go into battle with _that _arm and leg, can you?"

She opened the case to show both Ed and Scheska the automail arm and leg. They were of perfect size for Ed's current body– having grown a bit taller. Ed and Scheska gaped.

* * *

Satori had gotten out of the underground city a while ago, and had used the hole made by Eckhart's ship to get to the surface. She ran to Central HQ, hoping that the ship hadn't started bombing the place with alchemically infused armor.

No such luck.

Hawkeye, Armstrong, and a few others were holding them off best they could from the front, while some other soldiers– Breda, Feury– were blasting the ones coming in from the back.

Satori vaulted over the barricade of sand bags. She landed next to Havoc. Even with his legs as useless as they were, he was there with a gun and helmet– and cigarette in mouth– shooting off the "robots" coming down the Central flag of the building.

They all froze as a blast sent some of the armor attacking from the front flying.

It was Mustang. He came in with his full uniform on, gloves on his hands, and a gleam of malice in his lone eye. Everyone stopped shooting and gaped at him.

"He's back!" Havoc smiled.

"Welcome to the party, General!" Breda shouted.

Hawkeye and Satori exchanged smiles.

"Warrant Officer Fallman!" Mustang ordered. "Take a squad and defend the assembly hall."

"Sir!" Fallman ran off.

"Sgt Feury! Inform the mechanized division we need a tank unit in Central now!" Mustang looked over at Breda and Havoc. "Lt. Breda, the command center is our last stronghold, nothing must happen to it!"

"Sir!" Breda ran off after Fallman.

Mustang looked at Havoc, sitting on a few sand bags, gun in hand.

"What are you doing here, Lt. Havoc?"

"Defending the people, General." he replied, with a salute.

"You're injured."

"Not my pride, sir. I will gladly defend Central."

"Carry on then."

"Yes, sir!"

Mustang turned to face Armstrong.

"Major Armstrong," he smiled. "You know, if we're going to get to that aircraft..."

"We'll need a way to fly." Armstrong finished. "Got it."

He turned and left. Mustang turned to see Satori and Hawkeye standing there, saluting. Hawkeye put down her hand and smiled at Mustang.

"I've been waiting for you, sir." She said quietly.

Satori was about to say something before her sensitive hearing picked up a crash of metal on metal. Turning, she saw Ed latched on to one Eckhart's many ships.

"Ed!" she cried, running to the barricade.

Before she could go any farther, Mustang grabbed her by the shoulder.

"We'll go up together!" he said firmly. "You're not going on your own."

"He's a pigheaded kid!" Satori yelled. "He's in over his head!"

"I know that, dammit!" Mustang's grip lessened. "But we can't fly, not until we get the balloon up and running."

"Did someone say: fly?"

Satori and Mustang turned. Rikuno Nishi, Wind Alchemist, stood behind them, arms crossed over her same grey sweater with a feather in the middle. In jeans and sneakers, she didn't look like a soldier at all.

"I can get you up there," Rikuno continued. "Mustang can follow in the balloon."

"Let's do it." Satori smiled.

"Hold on!" Mustang stopped them. "You can't just go up and risk your lives like that!"

"Why not?" Satori turned on him.

"Because then you'd be acting like children!"

"That's how Ed is acting." Rikuno pointed out. "And he saves the world by acting like one."

"That's not the point!" Mustang snapped.

"Isn't it?" Satori asked. "Sir, with all do respect, I have to do this."

Mustang glared at her, but she didn't move. Finally his features softened. He clapped her and Rikuno on the shoulder.

"You've been thinking."

"Bad sign, I know."

"Good luck."

* * *

Rikuno and Satori stood on the ground just outside of the barricade. Rikuno stood up, having drawn a transmutation circle around both of them.

"Take her away," Satori said.

Rikuno activated the circle, bringing to life two tornadoes. They started out small, surrounding their passengers, then grew bigger. Soon both women were high above the city, parallel to Eckhart's ship.

"So what is that thing again?" Rikuno asked.

"Powerful airship bent on destroying this world, and using our power to fuel their own war on the other side of the gate." Satori shrugged. "No biggie."

Rikuno rolled her eyes. "All right then."

They flew next to the ship.

"Keep the tornadoes going until I give the signal!" Satori yelled above the engine roar.

"Why? Aren't we both getting off?"

"Someone needs to keep the wind going."

"And someone needs backup so she doesn't do something stupid."

They stared at one another for a moment. Satori knew Rikuno was right. She was a headstrong bitch whenever the Elric brothers were concerned.

"All right. On three then. One, two..."

"Three!"

They jumped out of the tornadoes and onto the ship. They were inside the storage area at the back. Luckily, Eckhart didn't hear their landing.

* * *

From her vantage point at the edge of the doorway– leading to nothing but open air– Satori saw Ed stand and transmute the ship he was on into a giant yellow sphere with wings, a faucet nose, and gold-brown eyes.

Eckhart began to fire on it. Popping, it fell with Ed, who transmuted his jacket into a parachute before he landed. From where she stood, Satori saw a cloud of dust announce Ed's arrival to the ground.

Man, she shouldn't have looked down.

Her beloved Central. The city was in ruin. Building crumbled from blasts, some aflame, some smoking. HQ had been turned into a barricade! It made her tremble in anger. How could they have let this happen? Why did Eckhart feel so bent on taking over?

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a balloon rise into the air. But this was larger than your average balloon, it was huge. Inside the balloon, powering it was Mustang.

"Stop, what are you doing??" Hawkeye's anguished cry reached Satori's ears.

Rikuno gasped. Following her friend's gaze, Satori saw Ed and Al lifting themselves into the air by an alchemically created pillar– still growing. Eckhart shot at the base, but Ed and Al were able to grab onto another building.

"They've got guts, I'll give them that," Rikuno nodded. "But brains? Between the two of them they have maybe three fourths."

Satori rolled her eyes. Leave it to Rikuno to make bad jokes at a time of war. What next?

"If you're going to strike, do it now, Fullmetal!" Mustang called out.

Ed and Al smiled. Together, they used their combined alchemy to form a solid bridge of rock between Eckhart's ship and where they stood. Running up it, they almost ran into Mustang, who had jumped off his balloon just moments before.

"Way to bring your trouble home with you!" Mustang shot at Ed.

"Smart remarks already?" Ed smirked. "Nice patch by the way, too bad it doesn't cover your mouth too!"

Satori stepped out onto the bridge, arms crossed.

"Stop bitching like a married couple and get a move on!" she yelled. "We have evil bitch ass to fry!"

Mustang took out a pair of guns off the side of the ship as they aimed for them. The three men jumping onto the roof, Ed and Al went swiftly inside, leaving Mustang to take out the rest of the outer guns.

* * *

Satori met Ed at the door to the cockpit while Al and Rikuno went off in the other direction to find something to help stop the evil dictator behind the door.

"Thanks for helping, Seiji," Ed smiled.

Satori smiled back. "Any time. Thanks for finally showing up. I know I can be a bitch, but Eckhart has me beat."

Ed laughed, before turning serious and walking into the room. Satori came in, closing the door and leaning on the wall next to it.

"This place is so foreign." Eckhart sat in the pilot's chair. "So different from my world."

She had become a monstrous thing to behold. Black, sticky-looking vines clung to most every part of her body and suit. A creature's head– in the same black vine material...right?– rested in her front. Her blonde hair was a bit disheveled, and her eyes held more malice than before.

"We're the same as you," Ed snarled. "We laugh the same, hurt the same, live the same and die the same."

Eckhart lashed out at him with a hiss of rage. A black vine-thingy came off of her arm and whipped towards Ed. He caught it with his automail arm, pulling it taught.

"What made you start the attack on our world?" Satori had gotten up from the wall and now stood next to Ed, her eyes never leaving Eckhart.

"This entire world must perish!" Eckhart laughed maniacally. "I fear it! It is too different and must be destroyed! Before it conquers us!"

Satori balked in anger.

"We have no reason to conquer yours!" she snapped.

"How would you know!?"

"We're humans like you!" Ed yelled.

"Liars!" Eckhart shook her head vigorously. "You may wear our skin, but inside you are different– monsters!"

Ed snapped away from the vine, and he and Eckhart engaged in battle. Ed's automail arm-blade against Eckhart's own blade. Ed flipped over her when her blade got too close, and kicked her backwards. Eckhart hit the door to the cockpit. She smirked.

"Let's end this!"

She opened it to show an army of armor. It came into the room as one mass. Al and Rikuno came in behind it, joining Ed and Satori in the middle of the room. The armor surrounded the group.

"Kill them!" Eckhart ordered.

"Why kill us??" Rikuno asked.

Ed and Satori looked at one another, rolling their eyes. Rikuno could be a real air head sometimes, no pun intended. **(Maybe just a little! :D )**

"Because," Eckhart's eyes narrowed, "when I look at you, I see monsters; that is why I can take your life!"

The armor did not move.

"Have I mentioned before," Rikuno nudged Al, "how much of a frickin' genius this kid is?"

The armor turned to converge on Eckhart. She backed up against the wall, screaming.

"Alchemy has all sorts of advantages," Al's tone was cold. "This is one of mine."

* * *

Mustang, Al, Rikuno, and Satori all stood on the outer decks of the plane. The wind whipped their hair. Ryo clung to Satori's pant leg.

Against her orderes, Hawkeye had sent Ryo up with Havoc in the balloon– which oddly enough got back to HQ... Havoc was now back on the ground, and Ryo up in the sky.

"So what now?" Mustang asked.

Ed stood at the opening of a blown off side of the ship. He said nothing as he used alchemy to cleanly separate their section of the plane from his. They began to drift slowly apart.

"I'm going to take what's left of these soldiers back to their world." he answered.

"Why?!" Satori and Al screamed together.

"I have to close the portal on their side." Ed said, turning away. "It must never open again."

Satori felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes.

"What about Winry!?" she cried. "She missed you too! We all did!"

Ed turned back with a smile, lifting up his automail arm.

"Tell her thanks," he said. "She always made the best."

"Brother no!" Al fought Mustang's hold. "I just got you back..."

"...you can't go again!" Satori pleaded.

* * *

"Mommy, can I get out yet?" Ryo asked.

"Not yet, sweetie," Satori told him. "Al, how you holding up?"

"Considering we snuck on board brother's ship and are catching a ride back to the world whose dictator tried to kill us, great." Al replied.

They rocked forward as the armor slammed into the ground. They heard Ed get out.

"I'm getting out, Mom."

"No! Honey!"

But Ryo was already out of his armor. Satori sighed and got out. Al followed.

"What!" Ed looked at the three of them. "Why?"

"Didn't think we'd let you have all the fun, did you?" Satori smiled.

"I left Mustang to close up the portal on our side," Al said.

The three of them looked up at the glowing portal, yards above their heads.

"Think we'll be able to close it?" Ed asked.

"Between the two of us, I think we can figure it out." Al shrugged.

"Hey!" Satori folded her arms. "What am I, beef stew?"

Ed rolled his eyes.

"The term is 'chop liver', Seiji," he looked over her shoulder, "and you're a mother first, before a food."

Satori followed his gaze. Ryo was sitting by a woman who held Alphons' head in her lap, eyes closed. Shooting a look at the two Elrics that said "I really hate it when you're right", she went over to her child and Noah.

Satori knew they could. Al had regained his memory of those lost years, after traveling through the Gate, and now remembered all he and Ed had been through together. If they could survive _those _four years, they could survive pretty much anything else.


	10. For Good

**Chapter 10**

_Two Years Later...Again_

It had been two years since Ed, Al, Satori, and her son Ryokou had come to the non-alchemic world. Ed and Al had closed the Gate shortly after their arrival, and they had set off to find the creator of the atomic bomb...or at least they had hoped.

Two years later and they were still far from close to finding it. Satori, Ed, and Al had found jobs working for the police department in their area– though it was hard getting in with their co-workers, as most were still pro-Nazi– and had gotten an apartment near the school they had enrolled Ryo in. The apartment was slightly more spacious than the apartments supplied by the military back home, and had three bedrooms, two baths, a living room and a kitchen. Oh, and a small dining room. A dining room!

That morning they all sat around the breakfast table, eating Al's slightly runny eggs, Ed's bit-too-burnt toast, and Satori's crispy sausage. Their uniform jackets were across the backs of their chairs.

"I still think you should change your hair color," Ed said. "It attracts too much attention."

"You sound like the enrollment officer!" Satori said bitterly.

"It's a good idea." Al put down his fork. "I cut my hair. What's the matter with changing your hair color? It looked nice when it was chestnut."

"That was when I was Seiji, who I am not anymore. I am Satori Yabusame."

"On the outside," Ed countered. "On the inside you're still Seiji!"

Ryo watched as the adults– Ed was 20, Al was 14, and Satori was 27– bickered back and forth across the table. At eight years old, he was in second grade, and had been offered a chance to skip at least two grades. Both Satori and Ryo had declined, wanting to stay in his current grade.

"I am the oldest!" Satori enforced her words loudly. "And I say I don't want to change my hair!"



"Do you want to get us killed!" Ed shot back. "You saw what they did to people who didn't play by the government's rules! All non-Aryans will be killed! You could be killed!"

"Oh, and I suppose that because you have blonde hair you think you're safe??" Satori bickered. "Look at your eyes, Ed! They're gold! Aryans have blue eyes! You're just as likely to be shot as I am!"

That shut Ed up. He slouched at his end of the table, stewing. Al sighed. Satori wouldn't change her mind no matter how hard they pushed the issue. There was only one more thing to try, and Al took it:

"What about Ryo?"

Satori froze. "They harm my son, they die."

"If you don't do what they ask, they could take Ryo and then claim you did something horrible. This is a new world, Satori, with new rules. You don't have an edge anymore."

"It's just hair!"

"That's right," Ed said. "It is _just hair_. So why won't you change it?"

Oooh! _Zing! _

Satori glared at Ed across the table. She hated it when he was right.

"I'll get it changed today." She sighed.

Two hours later, a cab dropped them all off at a salon. Satori cringed as she spotted the words BARBER written across the door in bold black letters on the grey brick. They entered and a man looked up from one of the chairs, reading a newspaper. He beamed upon seeing them.

"Ah! Customers!" he had a German accent, with small, beady blue eyes and thinning blonde hair. "What can I do for the lady, or for the gentleman?"

Ed tensed at the thought of cutting off his long blonde hair.

"Not for me." he said.

"I would like my hair color changed." Satori said, with a lump in her throat.

"What color?" the barber asked.

"Brown."

He eyed her suspiciously. Anyone wanting their hair changed from red to brown was a non-Aryan in his book. Especially if their hair was originally such a gory red.

"Sit, sit!" he beckoned her into the chair he had just vacated.

Satori sat, cringing at the noise the leather of the chair made as she did so. The barber scurried to her back, and looked at her hair.

"You want a trim?" he asked.

"I don't see why not." Satori shrugged.

He grabbed a pair of scissors.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Al smiled, as they walked away from the shop.

Satori moaned as she saw her reflection in a puddle at her feet. Her hair was now a chestnut brown again, and cut to the tops of her ears. Gone was the hard-ass look, and out came the old Seiji.

Exactly what she had been trying to avoid.

"It's alright." she grumbled.

"It's just hair, Seiji." Ed rolled his eyes.

"If it's just hair, Edward, then how come you didn't get a haircut too??" Satori yelled.

With that, she turned away from the brothers and stomped off. Ryo stood there with the Elric brothers, looking somewhere between confused and understanding.

Satori walked along the sidewalk by the park. Children were running and laughing on the grassy field, and their parents sat on benches, talking and laughing amongst themselves. It used to be that Satori would attract unwanted glares and looks from most of the parents if she dared bring Ryo into the park. But she no longer did, with her newly dyed hair.

Ed had been right. She had gotten mad at him over nothing. In the end, it _was _just hair. But at the same time she resisted the desire to go back and apologize. Her hair had defined her. She had died and gotten reborn with that hair.

It was otherwise unnatural to change anything about her new body without feeling at least _some _resentment.

Walking past a park bench, she paused. The woman who sat there looked familiar...Old, grey hair– she wasn't a looker, and certainly not one to attract much, if any, attention. Yet somehow...

"Dante?" Satori asked tentatively.

"Hello, Yabusame," she did not look up from her book.



"I thought you were killed by Gluttony back in the underground city."

"I was."

"Then how are you here?"

"His stomach was a door. All I needed to do was transmute him from the inside, and here I am."

"But you were in Lyra's body."

"When my soul took Lyra's place within her body, her soul traveled across the Gate. I couldn't get into Lyra's body on this side even if I had alchemy. There is nowhere for her soul to go now. So I'm stuck here, to wait out my days until I die."

Satori shook her head, chuckling. She didn't feel sorry for Dante. For years the woman had been using Philosopher's Stones to move from one body to the next– to be immortal. Now her time had come where she couldn't anymore. There was nothing to feel sorry for.

"So what do you want to do?" Satori asked.

"I told you the truth back in our world, Seiji," Dante confessed. "I wanted to come here and start over."

She closed her book and took Satori's hands in hers.

"This is what I had wanted, Seiji—"

"Will you not call me that, please?"

"Why not?"

"It's not my name anymore."

"You look the same as you did before you died. Why should you not take on your old name?"

"Because I already enrolled as Yabusame, and I don't _want _to be Seiji anymore."

Dante nodded.



"You still love Envy."

Satori said nothing.

"It's all right to admit it, Satori." Dante scolded. "He will be reborn, and if it is meant to be, you will find one another."

"But at the same time—"

"You love Edward."

Satori nodded.

"You have to make a choice. You loved Edward, but you loved Envy so much that you were willing to marry him. Now that isn't something to define love by, but it is a start."

"Love sucks, Dante."

"Oh, believe me, child, I know. I have _years _of experience."


	11. If I Never Knew You

**Sei Alchemist, Chapter 11**

"Al, have you seen Satori?" Ed asked from the kitchen.

"No, brother!" Al called from the other room of the small apartment the four of them shared—he was cleaning up the dining room.

Ed's brow furrowed. It wasn't like Satori to stay out so late, and then not come home for breakfast—man that woman loved food! All the more reason for him to worry. What if something had happened to her??

"I'm going to go find her!" Ed told Al. "Ryo has school in two hours, so make sure he's up and ready in one."

"Got it!" Al replied.

But Ed had already left the apartment.

* * *

Satori sat at a table in one of the few coffee houses in the small town. She had bought coffee and a breakfast roll. The coffee had been refilled twice while the roll sat on the plate untouched.

She didn't know who she was anymore, let alone what she should eat! Was she Seiji or Yabusame? What did a name have to it than the personality of the person who had it?

But to Satori, her name was a small part of herself that no one could change or influence, and to be so confused on that matter….

She took another long drink.

* * *

Ed entered the bar, tensing as at least four pairs of eyes turned to him. Keeping his sleeves down so as to not attract attention to his automail arm, he spotted Satori and quickly sat down across from her.

"You skipped breakfast," he said, looking at the cold breakfast roll.

"So?"

"You never skip breakfast. And you didn't come home."

"I have a lot on my mind."

"More 'a lot' on your mind than Ryo?"

"It concerns Ryo."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really. Now go away, Ed."

Ed didn't get up. Satori stared at him across the table. Ed winced as he saw the bags under her eyes—she obviously had not caught a wink of sleep. Her chestnut brown hair— still short like before—was in a disarray: finger-combed and slightly greasy.

"Satori, you need to come home," Ed begged, whispering now. "This is not a good place for you to be."

"Why not?"

Ed looked around again and cringed. Those same four guys were watching them from the bar, trying to look like they weren't watching them. They had the same appearance: slacks, collared white shirts, nicely kept hair—and poisonous glares that made Ed look away as one of the men caught his gaze.

"It's not safe here," he pleaded.

"Who says, Ed? You? Last time I almost listened to you, you were ready to kill my fiancé!"

"Please, Yabu!" Ed got up and tugged her towards the door. "Trust me!"

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the four men casually get up and follow them. Satori got up and followed him, not drunkenly, but with the swagger of someone who needed more sleep than they got—which, in Satori's case, would probably be none. Ed got them outside and used some of the water from a barrel to splash her face.

"Get a grip on yourself, Satori!" he hissed. "We're being followed, and we have no alchemy to fight them. Wake up and be ready to run!"

The water dripped from Satori's hair, and her eyes were sharper by the minute. At the sight of the four men coming out of the building toward them, it was she who grabbed Ed's arm and ran.

"So, friends of yours?" she asked.

"Uh, no; and not funny." Ed snapped.

They rounded a corner and had to skid to a stop. A brick wall blocked their path. And by the huffing and puffing behind them, they were trapped on their other side too.

Satori turned to face their pursuers. The men were fairly similar in appearance. All were blonde with blue eyes, and wore blue work pants and white shirts—with rolled up sleeves and ruffed up collars. The only real difference between any of them was each individual man's jaw-line and the wear-and-tear on their hands.

One of the men stepped forward, away from the group.

"We heard you were back, Ed," he said.

Satori shot Ed a glare.

"Thought you didn't know these guys!"

"I don't!"

The guy chuckled.

"What's the matter, Ed?" he chided. "Can't remember back to the factory days? You were as hyped as the rest of us of building that rocket. You caused quite a bit of trouble for the rest of us, escaping to Shambala with it."

"I didn't belong here," Ed said, "and I still don't. I'm stuck here now, so deal with it."

"We just wanted to show you how much we missed you!" the guy shrugged, pounding a fist into his other hand.

Satori slid to stand in front of Ed.

"You want him, you'll have to take me on first." She said.

"Satori…" Ed cautioned.

"Beat up a girl to get to a puny little man that shouldn't be worth my time?" the guy laughed. "That's a hoot. Out of my way, woman!"

"No."

The guy's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"

"I'm an officer of the law here," Satori informed him, "and I can nail your ass faster than you could blink. Threatening to beat up two officers? I can have you booked for quite a while."

The guy fell into the traditional I-have-no-idea-how-to-fight (otherwise known as the-working-brawl stance) stance, and ran at Satori. He swung a punch, and she sidestepped, bringing her knee up, and a fist down onto his lower back.

He grunted, flipping backwards from the force of her blow. Satori quickly unlaced her boot and tied his hands. The other two men tried coming at her from both sides. Satori stepped backwards, letting them crash into one another.

"Not very smart, are they?" she commented, unlacing her other boot and tying both men's hands together.

"So it would appear." Ed said. "I could have taken them."

"Don't try and be macho, Edward." Satori scolded, "It doesn't become you."

She got up and began to make her way back in the direction of their apartment. Ed reached out and touched her arm.

"Seiji, I—"

"You had your chance." Satori pulled away. "And any chance you had of another one died along with Envy."

"That wasn't my fault!" Ed pleaded. "He killed my father!"

"He was his father too. And maybe he deserved to die. The man _did _abandon his children not once, but twice."

"He was still my father, and I would rather see Envy die than him!"

Satori paused, fighting back the urge to break down. _Otou_, _Okaa_, she had left them both behind in her hurry to follow into this new world, to help give Ryo a better life. If things had unfolded differently, could she have brought them with her? Probably not, but it hurt just the same….

"Ed?" she asked finally, "Do you...hurt, sometimes? Is there a hole?"

Ed didn't answer for a moment. "Maybe, if I think of Winry too long." he admitted. "But other than that I don't miss anyone."

"Then consider this:" Satori said. "I knew my fiancé was a killer, and yet I loved him. I came into this new world to make a better life for myself and my son—his son. I left my parents, my powers, and people that cared. In this world, Edward, no one cares save the people you live with. No one has powers save for what they make themselves. My powers, family, and connections were all I had, and now I don't have anything except Ryo. I would say thanks a ton, but you're one of the reasons I'm here."


	12. The Wizard and I

**Chapter 12**

Satori rolled over in bed, feeling once again the empty space where Envy would have been. Her heart hardened a little as a coldness so profound wracked her limbs. Ed had killed him, and now she had to sit by and live with him??

But it was for Ryo she did this. It was for Ryo she had moved to this God-forsaken land. A land with no power, a land with no...no....anything. It wasn't that she hated it here, but...she wished she could go back. Back to the alchemic world.

For that matter, why not turn back time? Before Ed had killed her fiancé, before Envy had impaled Ed with his hand. Before any of the bad things ever happened!

Except Ryo.

She would keep the rape and the abuse, if only to have Ryo as a result. Ryo, the purest life she had ever felt. The most marvelous little boy to ever walk this earth. And he was hers.

Tears threatened to fall again when she looked at him lying in the second bed across the room. His breathing even, he resembled a tiny bear cub, with his brown hair. But she knew also that he never slept very soundly, not when he didn't know where his father was. Not when he didn't know that he was living in the same house as the man who might as well have killed him.

Lord knew she could, barely.

Satori rolled over again, trying to get back to sleep.

* * *

After breakfast, Satori walked Ryo to school. It only took them two blocks to his school. But on the way, they ran into some trouble....Outside of the school gates, a large-built man had parked his car across the walk, in front of the gate, and stood atop the hood, holding a young girl a little younger than Ryo. The man's arm snaked around the girl's throat, and he had her in a neck-lock.

Police cars were parked in a semicircle five feet away from the man and his captive. Guns were trained upon the man, but no one fired for fear of hitting the child.

"Mom..." Ryo tugged at Satori's sleeve. "That's Emmy!"

Satori walked over to one of the officers.

"Officer Wilson!" she saluted, then knelt beside him. Officer Wilson had his gun out, but not pointed.

"Officer Satori," he greeted. "This has been going on for two hours. The girl was dropped off by her parent, and this guy was waiting for her."

"Any idea who he is?"

"An ex of the mother? We have no idea. No database has a picture of him. So either he doesn't have a record, or he doesn't exist."

"It's a bit late to think he doesn't exist." Satori pointed out. "Seeing as he has that little girl by the neck."

"True."

Satori surveyed the scene. The man was screaming something...but she couldn't hear it, the man's words were too slurred.

"I need to get closer," she said. "Watch Ryo!"

She hopped the barrier, walking up to the man, hands raised.

"I have no weapon!" Satori called out, keeping her hands up. "I want to talk to you."

"Stay back!" the man swung Emmy by her neck. The poor girl's feet didn't even touch the roof of the car.

"What were you saying before?" Satori stopped two feet away from the car.

"Back away or she dies!" he threatened. In a whisper, he strained out the words, "The blood of an Innocent. Must be spilled to open the portal....must get home."

Satori's ears pricked at his words. Either he spoke of the alchemic world, or another world existed outside of the two she knew of.

"Which world?" she said, not shouting now, so as to not attract the police attention. "Do you speak of Shambala?"

"What know you of Shambala??" the man asked eagerly. "Have you news from the other side?"

"No," Satori shook her head. "But I came from there, as you did. I came and have been here for a few years."

"I have been here for twenty years." The man's grip relaxed around Emmy's neck. "There was a shower of blood from the Old One. He gave his life so his followers could escape persecution, saying we could return to Shambala if we spilt the blood of an Innocent."

All right...not the Shambala she thought he was talking about.

"Where is the Old One now?" Satori asked.

"He said to spill the Blood. He would rise from the fresh gore...." the man whispered.

"Put the girl down, sir," Satori paled. "He cannot rise on this plane. It is impossible for any other-worldly workings to happen here."

"Lies! The Old One promised his faithful!"

Satori darted forward and grabbed Emmy from beneath the man's relaxed grip. He tried to grab her back, but Satori ran back to the line of police cars, handing Emmy over to Officer Wilson.

"Who is the Old One??" she yelled back to the man.

"He is the Youngest of the Dead That Live. But he is the wisest and the most like us! He will rise...." he jumped down off the car, cutting his index finger open to the bone with a pocket knife.

He began to draw on the street, and Satori felt sick as she watched him—bit by bit—draw a transmutation circle. As the last line became connected to the rest of the circle, it began to glow.

_But he's not an alchemist, is he? _Satori thought.

From the glowing circle, a figure rose. His head bowed, he wore a black robe. On the chest of the robe: the ouroboros symbol. Shitshitshitshitshit! Pride snapped his head up and looked at the man, who now knelt on top of the car, finger clutched in a wrinkled handkerchief.

"Well done, my faithful servant, you have done well."

"No, One, I have failed you." The man began to sob. "I spilt mine own blood!"

"All is well now, Maxwell," Pride assured, using the man's name. "You have granted me passage, and that is all that was needed."

He patted Maxwell's shoulder, then turned to survey the scene of police cars. His gaze fell on Satori, who stood in front of the cop car where Wilson, Emmy, and Ryo hid behind.

"Pride," Satori seethed.

"Satori," Pride inclined his head. "I was hoping for a chase of some sort. But you come to me practically gift wrapped."

"Not intentional, I assure you."

"I see."

They stood facing each other. Satori slightly tensed, knees bent, ready to fight; Pride was casual, hands in his sleeves, relaxed. But ready, always ready.

"So why are you here?" Satori asked. "To corrupt a new world?"

"Heavens no!" Pride laughed. "I have gathered a following, Seiji. It is through them I shall reap the benefits of this new world....And my powers are as strong as ever."

Satori couldn't move. His powers?? he still had them?? But the Gate should have striped him of them.

"I know what you are thinking," Pride said, "and the answer is no. I didn't go through the Gate. Alchemy is different in this world."

"It wasn't different a few years ago."

"Times pass, and things change."

"Not these things. Alchemy never changes."

He chuckled.

"Have you been so blind with your looking forward, you haven't bothered to look at your back?"

"What's behind me is you and your kind. I thought I was rid of you!"

"Not behind you. Your actual back."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Pride walked up to Satori until their noses were a hairsbreadth away from each other.

"You're not a normal alchemist. Being able to control multiple elements; being able to bend anything with the proper thought. You may have been born one, but the way you died—to sacrifice yourself—allowed you to be reborn with something more than just The Truth."

"I still don't understand."

"Is there someplace we can talk in private?"

* * *

Pride and Satori entered her office. Satori sat behind her desk, motioning for Pride to sit in the chair opposite.

"What will happen to my follower?" Pride asked.

"He will be arrested and put in a prison cell for attempted murder of Emmy Watson." Satori said, feeling gone from her voice.

"Is prison really necessary?"

"It is for felons, which your Maxwell has recently become."

Silence. Satori knew that the cops from the scene were confused about how she knew the perp's "boss" figure, and she'd have to contend with them and the chief on that one. But the scene had cleared up as soon as Pride had followed Satori away from the school. Ryo and Emmy had been told to go to school, and they would be contacted if anything came up.

Now Satori sat across from her worse enemy, talking about a life and world she had long tried to forget about—to focus on her new life, however tedious.

"So how did you avoid going through the Gate?" Satori asked.

"Alchemy done in faith, by one who shouldn't be able to do alchemy in the first place."

"There are no records of that—"

"—in the alchemic world? Why would there be? There are quite a few worlds besides this one, Seiji, all of them different. This is just the one alchemy is the most new to. Therefore it must be introduced. I bring into this world the power of alchemy—and I offer you your alchemic powers back, as well."

"What about Edward and Alphonse?"

"No. Only you."

"And Ryokou?"

"Satori, I am offering—"

"Me _and _Ryo, or don't bother continuing."

"Fine, you and your son may have your powers back."

Satori smirked.

"Good, now how will you do it?"

"I need a person who has never produced alchemy before, and three drops of innocent blood."

She balked.

"Hell no! You are _not _going to use another child!"

"It wouldn't have to be another stranger. It could be Ryo."

"He's my son!"

"Only three drops of blood. No more. You have my word."

"Psh, your word is worthless to me. What's the catch?"

Pride smiled. His mustache lifted at the ends, the only evidence.

"My, you do learn fast."

"The catch, Pride."

"Permission from this city to create a religion, a following. No interference from law enforcement."

This gave her pause. If they allowed him to rule a religion, with him as the "God" figure, then he would be unstoppable. But he never said anything about _Satori _stopping him, off duty.

Hehe, there were always loopholes.

"Deal."


	13. Wheel of the World

**Sei Alchemist—Chapter 13**

Ed walked into the precinct office. Passing drugs, thugs, and ugly mugs, he made his way to his own desk, and sat down. Knowing Satori would not answer her phone, he called over to Officer Wilson.

"Hey, Wilson, is Satori in?"

"Edward, hi, you just missed her."

"Where'd she go?"

"She left with one of our suspects in the attempted murder case of Emmy Watson."

"Do you know where they went?" Fear iced through his chest.

"No, but Joe the security guard saw them get in a cab, heading West."

Ed got up, slamming the receiver not quite into the holder. Grabbing his jacket, he strode quickly for the door. Wilson caught him before he could open it.

"Ed! She's a big girl, she can handle herself."

"But she's with _him_!" Ed protested.

"And who exactly is he, Ed? We've been searching for a name all day, and haven't found anything!"

"His name is Bradley; Fuhrer President King Bradley, Supreme Commander of the military."

Wilson searched Ed's face for a lie. But Ed stared back at him with cold truth in his golden eyes. Wilson sighed.

"Is he part of your shadowed past, Ed?"

"He used to be my boss, before I saw him for who he really was."

"So what do we do?"

"If Satori went with Bradley," Ed said, "then she had a reason. Either blackmail or a threat."

_Or Ryo._

Ed refused to think about that. "But even with the both of us, without my.." he paused, "...skills that I had before, I can't get a positive lock on their location."

"What skills??"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me."

"I'd rather not."

* * *

Satori paid the cab driver, then she and Pride stepped out at the beginning of a dirt road. The cab sped off. The place that they had driven to was way off the radar, and so the speed with which the cab left was understandable.

This was, after all, woodland, and it was very easy for assassins and the like to hide and shoot you.

"So what now?" Satori asked, hands on hips.

"Now we go to the clearing." Pride said. "We will draw up a circle there, and perform the power transfer."

"You make it sound so easy. Won't the Truth be angry?"

"It will, but then again, we're passed caring about that."

They began walking into the woods. The sun was still high in the sky, so no shadows came to greet them, save the ones made by the trees where light failed to penetrate. Upon reaching the clearing, Satori took out a carrot, coaxing a deer to follow her. The footfalls of the deer made an alchemic circle once Satori had finally allowed it to have the carrot.

"Well done," Pride said, "did you bring the blood?"

"Three drops, as ordered," Satori held up a small vial.

"Ryo's?"

"Need you ask? I want this as much as anyone."

"Then we may proceed."

Pride took the vial from Satori and began to let the blood drip into the circle....

* * *

"Can't we take a cab or something?" Wilson panted.

"Two cabs in the same direction is suspicious," Ed hopped on the back of a moving car, swinging Wilson up with him. "We ride cars and run until I catch them or lose the trail."

Wilson rolled his eyes. He had no idea what twisted reality Ed came from—for he was sure it was no of this one—but people in this reality did not simply "ride cars" just to find a lost police officer.

Either this guy Satori sped off with was a dangerous bastard, or Ed was a loony.

* * *

"Now, please, stand in the center." Pride indicated the transmutation circle.

Satori stepped into the red, glowing circle. Pride took her finger and cut it, letting a drop of her blood mingle with one of his own, and then let them both fall together into the circle.

The circle glowed a red-gold-blue. Light shot up, engulfing Satori. Her vision blurred, and she vaguely saw strands of her hair turn from brown to gold. Her vision went blue for a moment, and then...black...

* * *

Ed jumped off the bumper of the car he had been riding for the last few miles. Wilson landed behind him. They stood at the edge of a wood, where a very superstitious cab driver had told them he had dropped off a couple of Pride and Satori's description.

"They're in there," Ed growled.

"How can you tell?" Wilson stepped slightly away from the growling midget.

"The mismatched light coming from between the trees," Ed tensed. "They're—no!"

He took off at a sprint, leaving Wilson to sigh and follow him. They ran through the trees, weaving their way through brush and brown.

Ed burst into the clearing first. The light show had ended, and Satori sat slumped on her knees and elbows, head bowed. Her fingers had a blue-red lightning flashing from them.

_No..._

He inched his way forward. "Seiji?"

She didn't answer at first, then:

"Ed...I have my powers back."

What the fuck??

"Seiji, we can't—"

"Don't call me that name!!" Satori yelled, standing up. "Dammit, Edward Elric! You of all people!"

"What do you want me to call you, then?!?" Ed screamed back. "We came to this place for a reason! If it wasn't to get away from _him_"--he pointed at Pride-- "then what was it for?"

"For Ryo!" Satori glared at him. "Do you think I take _pleasure_ in sharing a dwelling with the man who shared blood with my fiancé, and yet was the cause of his demise?"

"Envy's death was not my fault and you know it!"

"It might as well have been, for all the work you put into those rockets!"

Ed staggered back, as if struck. Satori's words were true, but how was he to know what the Lady Fuhrer had wanted them for?

"That's low, Satori." he growled.

All the while, Wilson and Pride stood off to the side. Pride had quietly explained his and Satori's agreement, and although Wilson had no idea what any of it meant, he agreed.

"Uh, excuse me!" Wilson interjected. "Hi, normal person over here needs to know what's going on."

"It's all quite simple," Satori took a breath, "Ed was the reason for my fiancé's death; after which we escaped to this world from our own world; I missed my powers, and when Pride came and gave me a chance to retrieve them, I jumped at it. Now Bradley can run his church in peace without interference from this world's police."

Ed, about to argue, held his tongue. So _that _was her intended plan!

"So, what," Wilson put a hand to his head, the other on his hip, "you and Ed came here from another world—through the same portal that _he _came through—in order to escape _him _and his ilk, and now it's caught up with you? So now Satori got her powers back—which she had in this other world—so she can feel normal again?"

"That sounds about right," Satori nodded, "except the portal part."

"I don't even want to open that barrel." Wilson held up his hands.

Wilson had accepted their story, and had agreed to keep it out of his original report in exchange for being kept in the loop. Satori and Ed agreed, but only if Wilson kept his mouth shut to his superiors.

In the meantime, Ryo was coming into his powers. Satori had to take time off of work to help him control them. Ed and Al watched all this, and put in their knowledge when appropriate—but inside, they were jealous. True, Satori had jumped on the chance to get her alchemy back, but she hadn't consulted them, or asked them if they wanted in.

That put another needle into the haystack—but it wasn't worth fishing for.


	14. Ai No Senshi

**Chapter 14**

_**I had originally intended to post this on Valentine's Day, but my timing got screwed up....Enjoy!**_

Satori, Ed, Al, and Ryo had just sat down to breakfast when a rapid succession of knocks beat at the door.

"I'll get it!" Ryo got down and ran to the door. Opening it, he squealed: "Auntie Rikuno!"

Rikuno entered the room, Ryo's hand in hers.

"Greetings, Elric and Satori residence!" she greeted. "I just got back from my mission at Northern HQ, and I figured I'd pay you a visit!"

"It's great to see you, Nishi," Satori smiled. "Would you like breakfast? Or a cup of coffee?"

"No food for me, thanks, but coffee would be lovely," Rikuno held up her hand as Satori got up, "No need, Satori, I got it."

She placed her back carefully by the front door and went into the kitchen.

"So," she called from behind the counter as the rest of them ate, "word through the grapevine is..."

Rikuno didn't finish her sentence as she connected the puzzle.

"Nishi, how did you get here?" Al asked.

"I—I'm not sure, Al...." Rikuno sat down at the table, coffee in her hands.

"Last we saw you, you were back in the other world," Satori cocked a brow, confused.

"I was following a lead on the humunculi ring. The Fuhrer was visiting the Northern HQ, when he mysteriously disappeared. I went to his last known location, followed the power trail to a storage room—I found the humunculi symbol burned into the floor."

Ed stopped his eating mid-motion. He had a brief flashback to his time with the mad German woman and her transmutation circle meant to open the portal to his own world, and how he had redrawn it and touched it with a bit of his blood....

"You touched it with a paper cut?" Ed asked.

"No! I am _not _that stupid, Edward," Rikuno shook her head. "It was hot in that room, and so I was sweating up a lake in there. Someone on the other end must have been bleeding. That on one end, and sweat on the other end...you do the math. DNA mixed with DNA through the stream, and I was knocked out."

Satori nodded. An unpracticed form of alchemy could have that effect on someone—even an experienced someone like Rikuno—who had not seen the Gate yet.

"I woke up in a room that looked like the one I had blacked out in, except their was no humunculus symbol on the floor. I thought nothing of it, and went outside. But everything was different. I went up to a police officer and asked him if I could have the address of Satori or Elric. He wrote down a single address, and I assumed you two had married." She took a deep breath. "So I am now _really _confused on this whole turn of events. Care to enlighten me?"

Satori and Al exchanged looks. Rikuno had been brought here through alchemic means, but not the kind they were used to.

"It would appear," Satori cleared her throat, suddenly losing her appetite, "that you have been sucked into Pride's plan."

"Wait, he actually came _here_?" Rikuno nearly spewed coffee out her nose.

"Not _here _here, but yes. He did come to this period in time, which is why—I do believe, anyway—you came here in the aftermath." Satori began to clear the plates from the table. "Do you have a place to stay?"

"Well, I _thought _I was back home, until I realized I was in a strange time warp."

"No time warp, just a back-to-front alchemic experiment." Satori began to wash the plates in the kitchen. "How is the old gang back there, anyway?"

Rikuno leaned against the counter, arms crossed. "No one talks anymore since you left. Not to each other as much and not like we used to. I think Ed's a part of it too. Mustang reassigned himself to the North, and Hawkeye is practically a wreck without him. But he wouldn't talk to me the whole time I was stationed up there."

The group sat in silence for a while. Ryo looked from one adult face to the other, a bit confused. Auntie Rikuno was back, wasn't that a good thing?

As if reading his mind, Satori answered: "Honey, Nishi isn't meant to be in this world."

"What is that meant to mean, Mom?" Ryo accused.

"We came into this world from another one, and she didn't come with us."

"So would that mean we shouldn't be here?"

"Yes, but she didn't come with us, so it's unnatural for her to show up like this."

Ryo nodded. But he didn't care if it was unnatural or not for Auntie to be here, she was _here_, and that was all that mattered, right?

"If Pride is leaving alchemic circles behind him, it means two things: he's working alone, and he's cocky. That can work to our advantage." Satori pointed out.

"But it also means that anyone with have a brain on the subject can come here," Ed said, "and expose those of us who're here by choice."

"Upsetting our current setup," Al noted.

The three of them nodded; Rikuno looked uneasy.

"What's wrong?" Ed asked. "We'll fix this, Nishi, don't worry."

"It's not—okay, yes it is. The circle was very well hidden, but the alchemic pull of it was—is—very strong. I have no doubt Mustang or someone else will find it, even after it being dormant for a while."

"Because the humunculi are technically meat puppets infused with alchemy," Satori said, "more of them from our other world could find their way here—following Pride's trail."

"Maybe that was his plan all along?" Rikuno mused aloud.

No one commented.

"Rikuno, we're glad you're here," Satori smiled. "Now we have a stronger team to defeat these guys. With my powers restored, Ryo's growing daily, and now Nishi's—we'll be more than prepared."


	15. Take It Like a Woman, Ed!

**Sei Alchemist Chapter 15**

Could it get any worse? Ed sat at the foot of his bed, staring—no _glaring—_at the wall opposite. It was bad enough that Seiji had gotten her powers back, but to get Ryo's back too? And now Rikuno was back...

Just when things couldn't possibly get worse.

A knock at the door. "Come in."

"Hi, Edward," Satori came in, closing the door behind her. "It's rather dim in here, want me to turn on a light?"

"I'm fine."

"Listen," Satori sat down in the chair by the door, elbows on knees. "I know what you're thinking."

"Really?" Ed cocked an eyebrow.

"You're mad at me, for getting my powers back but not yours, too. You're mad at Rikuno for coming back into our lives. You're mad because the rest of us have the external power to fight back."

Ed's temper boiled over a little at that last bit,

"I cam to this world first!" he raged. "I came here to keep everyone else out of _my _problem. I was dealing with it fine until you guys came along! And at the first chance to get _any _ of our powers back at all, it had to be you to be on the scene! _You!? _Where do you fit in? You're my reincarnated ex girlfriend who almost married my crazy half brother! How is any of that _fair??_"

"It's not," Satori sighed. "It's not fair, any of it. It's not fair that after Al gave his life to save you, you threw it back in his face—"

"To give him a normal life!"

"—it's not fair that I had to be reincarnated, then alienated by half the people I knew. It's not fair that I fell in love with someone who raped me in my past life—and who remembers it all. Maybe it's _not _fair that I was the one who met Pride while taking my child to school. None of it's fair Ed, but it _happened_, and you're gonna have to suck it up and take it. You know why? Because right now, the five of us are the only thing that stand between Pride and the conquest of this world. Now you can sit here and wallow in the fact that you aren't the Fullmetal Alchemist in anything other than name, or you can help us."

Ed looked up into her eyes. Brown, like Seiji's were. And for all anyone knew, this girl _was _Seiji, not Yabusame. But Seiji had died long ago defending a world that they weren't in anymore. A world they had let down in the end. Now they were gven a second chance, to save this world. It may not be perfect, but it was their home.

He stood up. "I'm in."

"Good." Satori turned to walk out of the room.

"Oh, and Satori?"

"Yes?" she turned her head.

"Thanks for the pep talk."

"Anytime. Don't make me do it again."

"Deal."


	16. I'm Still Here

**Sei Alchemist Chapter 16**

Satori looked out of the kitchen window. After giving Ed that pep talk, she could sure use one herself. Unfortunately, the Elric brothers had gone out to have some "bonding time" and Rikuno had taken Ryo to the park. Satori was left in her empty apartment—which would either have to be expanded soon, or they'd all have to move.

Although Rikuno claimed she didn't mind sleeping on the living room couch, Satori always felt bad at making one of her trusted friends sleep in such conditions. For even though Satori's apartment was decently furnished, it wasn't set up to permit long-term guests. And Rikuno wasn't about to go traipsing out into public without a back-story.

A knock at the door roused Satori from her musing. Visitors? She went to answer.

"Yes?" she asked through the door.

"Officer Wilson, ma'am, from the East office!" a male voice responded.

Satori opened the door a crack to see Officer Wilson. She opened it all the way and motioned for him to come in. Checking the hallway behind him, she then closed the door.

"What brings you here, Officer Wilson?"

"The Chief would like a full report on what happened with the robed man." Wilson reported.

"I gave him my report."

"With all due respect, ma'am, that report was hogwash!" Wilson turned from his position at the window to look at her.

"That is the only report I am giving on the matter!"

"Where did you go in the taxi cab?"

"I refuse to answer that question."

"Then I have orders—"

"To take my badge?" Satori put her badge calmly on the kitchen table. "Fine. Take it. Let's see you deal with Pr-the robed man now."

Wilson took the badge.

"You will receive your discharge papers in a few days. Good day. Satori."

* * *

Satori stood by the window a long time after Wilson left. Was this Pride's doing? And furthermore, was he really Pride? There had been talk been talk before she left that there was another, younger Pride calling most of the shots...and that the Pride she knew was actually Wrath. But for all she knew, Wrath was Izumi Curtis's kid....

Damn, these things were confusing.

The phone started to ring. She let it go to voicemail. It started to ring again.

"Hello?" she picked it up, annoyed.

"Hello again, Satori," Pride—no, Wrath's—voice greeted her.

"What do you want, bastard?" Satori ground her teeth.

"I heard you lost your job."

"News travels among your kind, I see."

"Indeed. I have another job offer for you."

"I'm not buying, Wrath."

"Learned my real name I see. The child of Izumi Curtis was getting a bit dull. He had to be done away with. I'm sure you know who the real Pride is?"

"Your 'son', Selim."

"Very good. You're learning."

"Doesn't take a genius. What else do you want?"

"I'm offering you a job."

"I don't need anything from you!" She slammed the phone back into its holder.

A pounding sounded at the door. Satori opened it quickly, fist ready to hit Wrath. A blond man stood in the hallway in a tan suit and white collared shirt and no tie. His eyes—so familiar...—were gold flecked with green.

"Hello..." Satori faltered.

"Hi, Seiji," the man smiled.

"Do I...know you?" she peered at him.

He smiled. Her heart fluttered.

"It's me," he took her other hand, "It's William."

"Envy..." Satori stepped into his arms, wrapping her arms around him.

Damn he felt so _real_.

"How?" Satori led them into the living room, seating them onto the couch.

"Well...I don't really know..." Envy shrugged. "I died, and then I found myself in my original form I was in this grassy field. This woman stood behind me, and when I looked at her, she smiled and tapped me on the head with her finger. Then I found myself here."

"But you've been dead a while!" Satori argued.

"Have I?" Envy asked. "Time must move differently up there."

"I don't care," Satori brushed a strand of hair from his face, "You're here. Back. It's a miracle."

Ed and Al walked in with some groceries. Ed stopped short at the sight of the blond Envy on the couch.

"Is that...?" he began.

"Hello, shrimp," Envy smiled good natured, his comment softening.

"ENVY?" Ed fumed.

"Ed, don't!" Satori stood, fists clenched.

"After this..this...THING killed my father? I think not!"

"He was his father too!"

"I don't care!"

"Please!" Envy stood, hands up in surrender. "I don't want to be the cause of a fight. I'll go. It was good seeing you again, Seiji."

He kissed her cheek, bowed to the Elric brothers, and left, closing the door behind him. Satori turned on Ed, eyes ablaze.

"What the HELL was that?!"

"He has no business being here!" Ed shouted.

"He does if I say he does!" Satori shot back. "He is my fiance, Edward! My soon-to-be husband!"

"_WAS_, he's been dead for years, and then he comes back and you're all ready to accept him?"

"Yes! I am! Because I knew it was him, _in my heart_! Ever felt that way, Ed?"

This comment made Ed turn a dark shade of crimson. Satori had struck a nerve, and she knew it. Through her death and rebirth, Ed had refused to believe that Satori had come back to life, and so had dismissed Seiji-as-Yabusame as what she told the rest of the world: Seiji's cousin. However much he felt the tug of his heart tell him it was Seiji, Ed had turned his back on the notion of love—because she just _couldn't _be back. Then Satori had gotten engaged to Envy, and Ed had seen what a fool he had been.

Still, he hadn't gotten involved. He had been too late, he knew that now. He had hoped to take his time and get together with her again, then Envy had walked into their lives again and spoiled everything.

"Yes." Ed turned and took a bag of groceries from Al. He began to sort the contents in the kitchen.

"Was it me or Winry?" Satori crossed her arms, leaning on the door frame.

"How dare you ask me that!" Ed fumed.

"Oh please!" Satori rolled her eyes. "Everyone knows you and Winry had a _thing_, Ed. And I obviously wasn't that important to you if you couldn't accept me!"

Ed turned around, pinning her with his golden eyes.

"DON'T TELL ME THAT I DON'T CARE!"

"Why not, Edward??" Satori yelled. "You took your sweet time accepting that I was back from the dead! What? Saving your life once was good enough for you? You were ready to forget?"

"SHUT UP!" Ed stood in front of her now, looking up at her menacingly.

"What are you gonna do, shrimp?" Satori scoffed.

Ed balled his fists, then let out a huff and stormed out of the room.

* * *

"En—Will?" Satori whispered into the phone.

"Seiji?" William Elric picked up the phone. "What's wrong?"

"Can I just...can I meet you somewhere? I don't want to be alone right now."

"Sure thing," he grabbed his coat. "Where?"

"There's a bridge, by the water near my apartment."

"I'll see you there."

They met on the bridge fifteen minutes later. Satori ran to Will and hugged him tightly.

"Hey now," Will hugged her back. "What's the matter?"

"I hurt him, I hurt Ed."

"How?" Will held her at arms length, watching Satori fight the urge to cry.

"I told him he never cared that I had died. That he...that he never believed me when I..."

"It's okay," Will wrapped her into a hug again. "It was a fight. Words were spoken, and they hurt. I know they hurt. He'll sleep on this and you'll make up tomorrow."

He stiffened, and Satori turned her head to see Wrath standing at the edge of the bridge, headed towards her apartment.

"Get behind me, William," Satori faced Wrath, bracing herself for a fight.

"William?" Wrath looked at the man behind Satori. "William Elric?"

"Don't talk to him!" Satori snarled.

"I see someone has friends in high places!" Wrath laughed.

He walked up to Satori, staring at her out of his one eye, a scowl on his face.

"Step aside, Sei Alchemist."

"No."

"I will not harm him."

"Like hell you won't. I _refuse_ to lose him again!"

This stopped Wrath. He looked down upon the young woman, sizing her up. He had known that she and Envy had had a fling, and a child, but she actually _cared _for this...humunculus.

"Interesting." He swatted her aside to stand in front of William.

"Get away from him!" Satori regained her footing from where she had fallen.

"Seize her," Wrath commanded.

Two hands grabbed Satori by each arm. Men with crew cuts and black trench coats held Satori back from the confrontation. She struggled, only making them tighten their grip.

"William," Wrath's mouth smiled, but his eyes were hard, "I can kill your girlfriend in this world. She is helpless. Follow me quietly and I may spare her."

"What are you doing?!" Satori yelled. "Run, Will!"

"No, Seiji!" Will kept his gaze on Wrath. "He means it. I won't let you die!"

Wrath smirked. So the feelings between them weren't just one-sided. _Very _interesting.

"I'll go with you," William agreed, "on the condition that you let Satori go."

"I can't do that. Come with me and she will not be harmed."

"Fine."


	17. Here We Go Again

**Sei Alchemist—Chapter 17**

Wrath had Satori and William (Envy) taken to an underground labyrinth. Blindfolded, they sat in a room for a very long time, until Wrath came and took off the bits of cloth.

"Do you know why you're here?" he asked each of them.

"Yes, you dragged us here against out will!" Satori spat.

At a signal from Wrath, Satori was punched in the stomach.

While William sat tied to a chair, Satori had been chained to a wall, her back against it. She inhaled sharply at the blow, but did not say anything.

"You gave your word!" Will yelled, pinning Wrath with a glare. "She wouldn't be harmed!"

"Oh, did I?" Wrath shrugged. "What I meant to say was that I would not kill her. Now, _Envy_, how did you escape death?"

"I don't know!" William seethed. "I told Satori all I remember: died, woke up in a grassy field, touched by a woman, knocked on Satori's door. I swear that's all I remember!"

"You didn't used to be so...accommodating." Wrath leaned against the wall across from Will's chair.

"I have no reason to lie, no reason to withhold the truth. I don't know anything."

"Do you love her, _William_? This alchemist who has also flaunted the Gate?"

William said nothing, meeting Wrath's gaze squarly.

"I see," Wrath moved around the chair, cutting loose William's bindings. "Then you are free to go."

"Not without Satori."

"You will leave without her or I will make you stand here and watch her die."

"I'm not leaving!"

Wrath turned his back to the enraged former Envy. From within his cloak he drew out a riding crop. Satori's eyes widened as she flashed back to her time as a prisoner within the humunculus stronghold. She had been put in a similar position. Her back—though healed completely after her rebirth—began to throb at the memory of those days—months?

"Ah, are you afraid, little alchemist?" Wrath smirked as a guard moved to block the only door. William tensed.

"Of you? Please!" Satori strained against the chains that bound her to the wall.

"Don't fight me, Sei Alchemist, or you will only make it worse for yourself."

"Worse than being chained in a dank little dungeon of a room? Come off it, Wrath, you're losing your touch! Resorting to previous torture methods? Pathetic!"

The whip cracked across Satori's raised arms, leaving suitable wounds just below the chains.

"Stop!" William pleaded, rushing forward. Another guard held him by his neck before he could reach Wrath. "What do you want??"

"I want answers!" Wrath roared, whipping Satori across the stomach, laying open a section of her shirt. "How is it possible both of you have come back from the dead?"

"It wasn't my time," Satori shrugged. "They sent me back because I wasn't meant to be there yet."

"You're lying." Wrath raised the whip again, crossing the most recent wound. "You died underground in our stronghold. I heard the explosion! You were meant to die!"

"Well obviously not!" Satori shot back. "If you would listen to yourself for once, you'd realize how pointless this is! Interrogation and torture—not the best ways to get answers!"

Wrath looked down at Satori. She glared at him, breathing evenly. He turned to William, still held in a choke hold by one of the guards.

"How far would you go to see the eldest Elric live?" Wrath asked after a pause.

"Anything," Satori answered truthfully; a knot formed in the pit of her stomach. She did not like where this was going.

"Enough to work for me?"

Crap. Now she REALLY didn't like it.

"Answer him, Seiji..." William's plea was cut off by the arm around his neck flexing threateningly.

"What's the job?" Satori asked.

"Negotiator for my new church. I have developed quite a following, and will need a building where I can see all of my people."

"It's only been a few days!" Satori said, shocked. "How could you have created a mob of drones that fast?"

"Watch your tongue!" Wrath signaled to one of the two men that brought Satori here. "Flip her over."

Satori paled as the man advanced on her. Reflexively, she got ready to activate her alchemy.

"Careful," Wrath put a hand on William's shoulder.

She ceased, letting the man chain her, stomach first, to the wall.

"Tear open her shirt." Wrath rested the tip of the whip at the base of her neck.

"No!" William shouted.

Wrath hit Satori's back with the crop, opening the skin just above her spine. "Bringing back any memories, _William_?"

"Stop this! Please!"

"Our little Seiji must be taught a lesson," Wrath shook his head, bringing the crop down again across her shoulder blades. "You can't escape us once you have been drawn in, alchemist."

"I wasn't," Satori paused as the crop came down onto her bare back yet again, "trying to escape, only postpone."

"Postpone what?"

"The inevitable."

"And what is inevitable?"

"My past haunting me. Forever, it now seems. I can't escape you."

"Right you are." Wrath laid in one more deep gash into Satori's back before running the crop lightly down the whole of her back, letting it linger on the deeper cuts. "That is all for today. You may both go."

Satori was unchained, and William ran to her, putting his jacket around her shoulders.

"Hey, Wrath," Satori called as he walked away. "You forgot something."

"Oh?" he turned his head.

Satori sparked one hand, putting it to the ground. The door to the room sealed shut. The floor underneath her and Will rose up into the air, building a column as it rose, the ceiling opening just enough for the circular column to pass through. Wrath and his goons were sealed inside the underground chamber, for the time being.

Satori coughed, slumping into Will's hold. He held her tightly for a moment Getting up, they both made their way back to Satori's apartment.

* * *

Ed was waiting on the couch when they walked in.

"It's about time!" Ed fumed as Will closed the door behind them. "What were you thinking, going off with him?"

"Ed..." Satori started.

"Rikuno and Ryo came home an hour ago, and you weren't here. What about Ryo? Hm? I had a hard time telling him his mom was off with his dead father."

"Ed..." Satori moved away from Will, advancing on the alchemist.

"And another thing—!"

'ED!" Satori reached him, pulling off Will's cloak as she did so. Her shirt—tatters and slashes of fabric—came off with it, leaving her in her bra, scars still red and bleeding and exposed.

Ed stared at them for a moment, then looked to William, eyes afire.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?!?" he raged.

"ED!" Satori raised her voice again. "He didn't do it—Wrath did."

"Wrath?" Ed looked puzzled. "That little runt that took my arm?"

"No," Satori sat down on a kitchen chair. "The Fuhrer is Wrath, his son, Selim—back in the other world—is Pride."

"How is that possible?"  
"Because it is, you dolt, now go get me some stitches and bandages!"

Ed hurried off to get the first aid box. Will sat down across the table from Satori and took her hand in his. His skin was the color of burned, yet still pale, peaches. Satori smiled at him as Ed came in with the first aid kit.

"Alright then," Satori opened the box and took out the needle and thread for stitching. "If you're squeamish, leave now."

Both Ed and William stood at the other end of the table, though at a decent distance away from one another.

Satori made quick work sewing herself closed. William helped with some of the back cuts. Ed stayed on the other side of the table.

"You two look good together," he mumbled after a period of silence.

Satori froze in pulling on a new T-shirt. "Thank you, Ed."

The two men—half brothers by their father, Hohenheim of Light—looked at each other from across the table. Ed thrust out his hand.

"Take care of her...William," Ed said, all seriousness.

"I will. Thank you, Edward."

* * *

Satori and William moved out a few days later. Without a job on the force, Satori was not permitted to stay in government housing. Ryo had a difficult time deciding who to stay with—he was wary of William, because his eyes weren't green like his, like his father's. He ended up staying with Ed and Al. Rikuno voted to go with Satori.

"Once a team, always a team," she said, hugging Satori lightly, mindful of her stitches.

This comment made Ed bristle, but he put on a smile and only nodded in response.

The three moved into a flat above one of the vacant shops. Each morning Satori sent William to gather random materials, which she then used her old-but-newly-reacquired alchemic powers to transmute into things to sell in the store downstairs. William, Satori, and Rikuno each worked the shop in shifts—there was only one register—and business picked up as the holiday season drew closer.

One day Satori was coming down to relieve Will of his shift when she spotted a married couple walking away, hand in hand.

"Will," she said, "Let's get married."

"What?" Will had been drinking a glass of water and nearly shot it out his nose.

"Well we're already fiancés, right? Let's make it official."

"Seiji," Will chided in a hushed tone, "that was in the other world. It's different here."

"You still love me, right?"

"Of course!"

"Then what's the problem?"

Will paused. "I don't have a ring..."

Satori started to laugh. One of their regular customers, a young lady who ran the jewelry store just a few doors down, looked up from the shelf she was browsing. Her blond hair was piled on top of her head, and she wore a blue sun dress with white sandals. Her grey eyes searched them before she came over.

"What's so funny, Mrs. Elric?"

"See?" Satori said with a grin, "even _she _calls me that!"

"I wouldn't ask you to change your name..." Will began.

The young lady began to chuckle.

"Is it marriage that's troubling you, Mr. Elric?"

Will crossed his arms. "No. I just..."

"Don't have a ring?" she smiled. "Not a problem."

"I want a beautiful wedding!" Satori gazed at the sky, eyes wandering. "With a cake and a long white dress..."

"What was wrong with your old dress that we picked out before?" Will asked.

"It got left—" Satori snapped back to herself, "—back at my mother's house. And it's too far to ship. We'll have to buy a new one."

"You could just have it shipped?" the young lady suggested.

"No," Satori caught a glimpse of Wrath in the crowd outside in the square. "It's best to get a new one..."


	18. Wings of Despair

_Wow, this was a quick chapter! Not an easy one to write, mind. Torture is never a fun thing to write about. But it's necessary to the plot of the rest of the story. This chapter is a bit shorter. Any ideas on how Satori should break the news to Will?

* * *

_

**Sei Alchemist—Chapter 18**

Satori had convinced Will to agree to a wedding. The young lady from the jewelry store, Lily, had agreed to give them wedding rings in exchange for the installment of Satori's latest specialty: a twin dolphin fountain, to be installed in the front courtyard of Lily's shop. The bands, as agreed, would be made of gold, with silver weave on the outer edges.

But Will was worried about Satori. It seemed everyday she became more quiet, and drew farther in to herself. He and Rikuno could not get a word out of her. She claimed to be taking long walks late at night because she couldn't sleep. One night Rikuno decided to follow her.

Satori walked down a small alley between two grocers, then went down a manhole. At a fork in the tunnel she stopped and lifted a second manhole, leading further underground. Rikuno followed a safe distance behind, and was almost too late to see two men in black trench coats block Satori's escape. As one the three moved down the tunnel and into a large room.

Furnished with a large desk, two visitors' chairs, a fireplace, and a rug, the room looked fit for a president. If it weren't underground, that is. Satori walked into the middle of the rug and took off her jacket, draping it over one of the chair backs. She wore nothing underneath except a bra. A man—whom Rikuno recognized as the Fuhrer President Bradley from the alchemic world—stepped into the light on the outer edges of the rug.

"Were you followed?" he asked.  
"No," Satori replied.

"Then let us begin," Wrath walked around her with the riding crop, "have you found a building for my church yet?"

"No," Satori answered.

The crop opened a gash on her arm.

"Have you left the Elric brothers?"

"Yes."

She was spared a lash.

"Are you still with William Elric and Rikuno Nishi?"

"Yes."

A harder lash hit her between the shoulder blades. Satori did not flinch as the wound stung and blood began to trickle down her back.

"Are you planning on leaving them soon?"

"No."

Another crack of the riding crop.

"Are you still going through with the wedding plans?"

"Yes."

Another lashing. The healing wounds on her back were now criss crossed with newer, freshly bleeding ones. Rikuno noticed that the ones Satori had stitched up before had been reopened, and newer ones—but not the ones from today—had been added to the collection.

"When will the wedding be?"

"I don't know; soon."

Another lash.

"I grow tired of your resistance, alchemist." Wrath growled, glaring at her.

Satori stood firm against his temper. "I grow tired of you threatening my family."

"He is not your family, he was mine first; your son is your main concern. Need I remind you he is alive because of us?"

"He is alive because I never went through with the abortion. _You _had nothing to do with it."

"He is my property by rights as head of the humunculus!"

"He is Envy's property as eldest humunculus—and Ryo's father!"

"Impudence!"

Wrath began lashing the crop against Satori in a rage. Although the woman remained on her feet, Rikuno could see it taxed her to have her cuts beaten into and new ones opened. By the time Wrath had finished venting his anger, Satori's back was a maze of cuts and bruises, with more covering the backs of her arms and neck. The waistband of her jeans began to soak up the dripping blood.

_So that's where the strong iron smell comes from during laundry_. Rikuno's heart reached out to her friend.

"That is all for tonight." Wrath turned to leave. "Never try to block my access to you again, Sei Alchemist, or else your punishment will exceed the norms of our meetings."

With that he left her, his guards leaving with him. Satori went to the fire, where a rag and bowl of water were set out. She squeezed water down her back.

"Here," Rikuno took the rag from her, blotting the blood away from the cuts.

"Thanks," Satori mumbled, muscles tensing as each cut stung.

"You were lying. You knew I had followed you."

"Yes."

"Saving yourself?"

"Saving you. He would have subjected you to the same fate as me."

"And what fate is that?"

Satori fell silent.

"It's okay, I don't need to know." Rikuno dried the clotted cuts and handed Satori her shirt. "Let's go home."

Satori had them take a back way out, making sure they weren't being watched. Dawn was in five hours, and they both needed sleep before the day ahead. Maybe, Satori thought, she should take Rikuno dress shopping instead of William...one less person to see her scars.

_At least until their wedding night.

* * *

_

_**Hmmm, no breaks in this one. I must be losing my touch, haha. So, any thoughts on how Satori should break the news to Will? Or should he find out through a slip from Rikuno? Please review!**_


	19. All I Ever Wanted

**Sei Alchemist—Chapter 19**

Having sworn Rikuno to secrecy, life went by as quietly as possible for the next few weeks. One bright day in January—time flew past Yule, it appeared—Rikuno reccommended that they close the shop up for the day and go dress shopping. William, always reluctant to agree to anything involving shopping, was persuaded.

The girls set out, hitting every shop within walking distance. None of the one-piece dresses appealed to Satori, but she found a nice long sleeved top that she liked and a matching Victorian skirt. Those combined with a white drop necklace and "moonlight white" heels and she was set. The top was cut low, and hung at the edges of her shoulders, with the Victorian white skirt resting over the shirt on her hips.

Luckily, none of Wrath's lashes showed in the mirror as she looked at the finished product. But upon turning around to check the back, she saw that the tops of some of the back ones were showing as well as the ones that trailed up the back of her neck.

"I can help with those." Rikuno adjusted the drop necklace's clasp. "We can go look for some makeup to hide them."

From the corner of her eye, Satori saw Wrath in the mirror. She turned around hurriedly, only to find the racks where she had seen him empty save for the clothes on them. Heart racing, she turned back to her reflection.

"Let's get them," Satori said, "then it's on to the makeup counter."

As they passed a dress rack, Satori caught a glimpse of a black robe disappearing. She shivered, then smiled at the receptionist and paid for her clothes.

They had equal luck at the makeup counter. The artist put light red lipstick and a hit of peach blush on Satori's cheeks. A black eye pencil accented the corners of her eyes. Satori looked in the mirror, liking what she saw...until she saw Wrath in plain view over her shoulder. She didn't move to look at him, instead smiling at the makeup artist and asking for the makeup. Paying, she and Rikuno left the store.

"Are you okay?" Rikuno asked when they reached the stairs to the apartment.

"No," Satori sighed, sagging against the wall. "I'm in trouble tonight."

* * *

Rikuno opened the door to a bruised woman that night around midnight. Satori staggered in with a cut lip and a black and blue bruise displayed on the entire right side of her face, extending below her chin. Wrath had also seen fit to add more lashes to the front of her person as well. Rikuno helped her wash and dress all of her hurts, and held her as she wept silently by the low fire.

* * *

The wedding sneaked up on all of them quickly. Satori sat in front of her bathroom mirror the day before the big day, eying the still pale yellow and green bruise on her face with distaste.

"Here," Rikuno brought in a concealer cream and a powder puff, "I've got this."

The concealer covered up much of the bruise; the powder puff applied a pale and sparely overtone. But not _too _much sparkle—Satori did _not_ want to look like one of those vampires that was sweeping the teen pop culture.

Satori's cut lip had needed a bit more work. A hurried visit to the hospital at one in the morning (the night Satori first came home with it, mind) had supplied it with dissolving stitches. The stitches were nearly gone now, and the lipstick covered their off-color.

"You haven't asked a lot of questions about my...outings." Satori didn't bother looking at herself in the mirror. Rikuno always did a good job with her makeup.

"I've always figured you would tell me when you were ready." Rikuno busied herself with the tidying up of the makeup stuff.

"He knows everything," Satori's shoulders shook, but she did not cry. "He has a man shadowing Ryo, Ed, and Al..." she paused, "...and he has objects from my old life...objects I want back. But it's too late now. To get them back I'd have to not go through with this wedding."

Rikuno, now sitting in a chair across from her friend, nodded in understanding.

"And what are these boxes?" she asked.

"One is the Box of Armor that has been passed down through the males of my family for generations, and only this generation passed to a female," she took a breath, "and the other is the Box of Masks: a box with a mask for every emotion. Each has a power attached to it. There is one mask that has the power to change between the different emotions—and therefore the different powers—and is the most valuable within the box."

Rikuno sat in silence. Satori shivered. Wrath had her family boxes...she had already had to pry them from her uncle Uagane before—and he had paid for it with his life. Now she had to get them back from the man who held _more _power over her.

Satori had grown considerably since her seventeenth year. She had less angst and more self awareness. She knew how her actions would effect others. Her calm yet tough exterior still displayed when she needed it, but she had learned that it was not important to make others believe that you were tough. What mattered most was what she thought of herself. After the humunculus had nearly killed her father, she had realized that a hard exterior wouldn't get you anywhere if you wore your heart on your sleeve.

So she had adopted the motto _keep your friends close and your enemies closer. _

Coming out of her musings, she realized that Rikuno had been talking to her.

"We need to get you ready to receive your guests for the baccalaureate party tonight."

"Why? It's just you, Lily, and me."

"Well you're no fun!" Rikuno pouted. "Makeup is always nice."

"You didn't used to care about makeup when you were a State..."

"The Wind Alchemist needs to make like a bird and fly to new heights. Spread my wings, live a little."

"Have you always been this metaphorical?" Satori laughed.

"See?" Rikuno smiled triumphantly. "Smiles and laughter are good for the soul—do them more often."

"If my life weren't so fucked up, I would."

"Be happy! You're marrying the man you love tomorrow—the father of your child! Put a smile on that face and get ready to look like one of those brides out of the catelogues!"

* * *

Lily came over bright and early the next morning. The wedding had been planned for early afternoon, and Satori was far from ready. When Lily walked through the door, Satori still sat on the couch, knees pulled up to her chest, cradling a cup of coffee and looking out the window.

"She's been this way all morning," Rikuno mouthed from behind the small breakfast counter.

"Hey, Yabusame!" Lily smiled as she swept further into the room.

Lily and Rikuno were already dressed in their sky blue bridesmaid dresses. Rikuno had a flower in her hair to symbolize her as the maid of honor. Ed was to be William's best man—ironic, huh?

"Up and at 'em, girl! It's your wedding day!" Rikuno pulled Satori up off the couch.

"How can I go through with this?" Satori lamented softly. "How can I put Ryo in danger like this?"

"Pull it together, woman!" Rikuno tapped her lightly on the cheek. "Today will be happy! Ed and Al and Ryo will be at the church—they'll be fine! You'll be able to see them the whole time, as will I."

"Am I missing something?" Lily asked, plainly confused.

"No," Rikuno smiled. "Just some wedding day nerves, she's fine."

Without a word, Satori allowed the two women to dress her. Rikuno paid extra attention to her foundation and concealer, covering up not just the bruise on her cheek but the visible lashes on her collar, shoulder blades, and upper back. Satori's nails were done in a nice red to match her lipstick.

The veil went on last. A tiara of white dewdrops held it to Satori's head, and it fell forward and back in a light cascade to her shoulders. Flipping the front off of Satori's face, Rikuno smiled.

"You look beautiful!" she said truthfully. "Now let's get you to that church!"

* * *

William paced back and forth in the little side room before the wedding. Ten minutes before he waited for Satori at the head of the aisle...ten minutes before the priest started the words that would bind him to the only person he had ever loved...ten minutes until they performed the oe act that would bring the other humunculus down on them ten fold...

"Will you relax!" Ed huffed, leaning against the back of the couch. "Geez, you're making _me _sweat. What has you so worried?"

"We may be making a big mistake..." William mumbled to himself.

"What are you talking about?" Ed rolled his eyes. "Nothing's going to happen!"

Will stopped pacing and looked at his half-brother in earnest.

"Ed," he said, "I'm going to tell you something, and you can't tell Satori that I told you."

"Ooookay..." Ed folded his arms.

"Wrath has been against this wedding from the start. He's called the house several times asking for Satori. I hung up on him every time, but I can't help but think that he knows something I don't."

"So you think that Pr—Wrath has something over Satori?"

"Yes. Maybe her family Boxes, or Ryo. Being half humunculus, the first genetically born, he is a valuable person for Wrath to have. Satori's been really distant lately, and she's been taking long night walks. I'm worried for her, and she's not talking to me."

All of this spilled out of Will's mouth, one problem after another. Ed was watching his half brother with concern now. Never before had he been confided in like this, and it surprised him that Will would trust him like this.

"Hey, Will, calm down!" Ed put a hand on Will's shoulder. "If it's a problem, talk to her about it. You two are about to be married, and the first thing to establish is trust. She trusts you."

"You think so?" Will asked, looking at him.

"I do," Ed took a breath. "I know I screwed it up with Satori, but I know you won't. Just let her be her own person, and she'll tell you when she's ready."

The organ struck a timing note. Both men turned to the door. It was time.

* * *

Satori gulped as the doors opened and the organ's music hit her like a hot summer breeze. This was it. She began her walk down the aisle. The benches were empty except for Ryo and Al in the front bench...and Wrath standing in the back corner between the statues of Saint Michael and the Moon Goddess.

It had taken some work, but Satori had been able to find a universal church that welcomed different faiths.

Her own faith in God had wavered considerably during her treatment at Wrath's hand, not to mention her trip through the Gate. If the Gate existed, was there even a God? There was, because she had seen him! But what if she had been hallucinating? But then explain the changes to her physical body, as well as her old body—Seiji's body—being buried six feet under?

All this went through her head as she walked steadily down the aisle with a smile on her face. She reached the altar. Rikuno met her there a moment later, with Ed standing to Will's side. Both best-persons retreated a few feet to either side of the couple.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to bind the lives of these two children of the Powers That Be, the Almighty, and the gods. If there is any reason why these two should not be joined, please let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

No one said anything. Satori looked over Will's shoulder at Wrath in the corner. He had his lips pursed, but said nothing.

The couple turned to face the priest.

"Do you, William Elric, take Satori Yabusame to be your lawful wedded wife? In sickness and in health, through good and bad times, through rich and through poor?"

"I do." Will smiled at Satori.

"And do you, Satori Yabusame, take Willaim Elric to be your lawful wedded husband? In sickness and in health, through good and bad times, through rich and through poor?"

Satori's gaze flickered for a nanosecond to Wrath. Smiling at Will, she said, "I do."


	20. If No One Will Listen

**Sei Alchemist—Chapter 20**

They had been married less than two months. Satori had made a habit of staying home after eight o'clock in the evening, and William didn't question why. In time, Satori stopped wearing the foundation, as the bruise had healed. The scars did not go unnoticed by Will, but still he said nothing.

But one day his worry got the better of him.

"Satori, where did those scars come from?" he asked when Satori was getting ready one morning.

She stood topless in front of him, her back to the mirror on the door. "I fell."

"No you didn't. I want to know why it looks like..."

"Like what? Like when you whipped me down in the sunken city of Ishval?"

Will said nothing.

"I have some scars, so what? I _was _a police officer, Will."

"Yes, but those are new. Recently healing. Someone gave you those just before the wedding."

"So?"

"Was it Wrath?" Will asked.

"Will!"

"I want to know!" William crossed the room and wrapped her in a hug. "I want to know so I can protect you."

"You can't."

"I'm your husband! I can if I want to!"

Satori moved away from him, folding her arms over her breasts.

"If I tell you, don't overreact."

Will nodded.

"After you came back, Wrath knew we would get married, so he made...arrangements. I'm his negotiator with the authorities, and as my...employer...he has certain privileges."

"He didn't rape you did he?" No reaction, just a question.

"No. Every night for about two months before the wedding I would go to his office, and he would ask m questions. If my answer didn't please him, he would give me lashes. Then about a week or two before the wedding—the night I came home with my wedding clothes—I went to his office again. But he had followed me that day, and my material show of the wedding got him angry..."

Will said nothing, silently fuming.

"He beat me. I came home that early morning with a huge bruise down one side of my face and my whole back and neck covered with lashes. Rikuno helped me hide them because I did not want you to worry. I haven't gone in a while, and that's why I stay indoors after eight. If I'm inside, he can't get to me so easily."

Still Will said nothing.

"He has the Box of Armor and Box of Masks that are mine by right. I have to go get them. Once I have them again, I can fight him."

"No, absolutely not!" Will crossed his arms. "You will do no such thing."

"Redundant much?" Satori-Elric Yabusame raised an eyebrow. "And you have nothing to stop me with. I am not pregnant, and those Boxes are mine. I want them back, William."

William sighed. He knew that Satori would not be swayed in this. She would do whatever she wanted.

Even if it meant risking her life.

* * *

Satori awoke later that evening to the blackness of her shared room with William. He snored softly next to her. Slowly, she got out of bed and put on a pair of black jeans and a black tank top. Pushing her long bangs to the side, she secured them with a barrette.

Unfortunately, when she had come to this new world, she had had to leave her Sang Kwua and other weapons of her familial ancestry behind. Maybe some would be in the boxes?

She slipped her feet into her soft black boots, tucking the jeans into the tops of them. She slipped out the window.

Satori took the back-back way into the underground chamber. Much had changed since she had been there last. The Boxes of her ancestors sat openly in front of the fireplace—obviously Wrath was expecting her—and a long, double bladed weapon with a crescent blade in the middle rested against the chair of the desk.

Her Sang Kwua! But how had Wrath gotten it to this world without bringing it with him that first time?

Wrath sat in a chair off in the shadows to one side of the fireplace. His rapiers rested on either arm of the chair. His eyes—for he had taken the patch off to reveal his Ultimate Eye—swept the room in an attempt to find her.

"Come out, come out, little alchemist," he sneered at the shadows of the room.

Satori said nothing.

"I know you are here," he smirked. "I can feel your soul."

"Funny, I thought as part humunculus I ceased to have one." She did not move from the shadow of the wall. He could not see her, she hoped.

His Eye pinpointed her. He grinned menacingly.

"Your tryst with Envy provided you with an elongated life and other powers besides your alchemic ones. And yes, you do have less of a soul, but you still have one. God was not able to take that away—just as he wasn't able to take away your pregnancy—when he gave you new life."

"Good, I was beginning I only got a kid out of the deal."

It was a brush and they both knew it. Satori cared the world for Ryo.

"You've stayed away from me for a lot longer than I thought you would."

"So?"

"I would have thought you wanted your Boxes meant more to you than that."

"They mean more than you know."

"Then why so long?"

She folded her arms, stepping into the outer light of the fire. Pinning him with a cold stare, she said nothing.

"Surely you must have a reason?"

"I love my husband."

"Of course you do."

"He doesn't know that I am here."

"When does he ever? You have proven that you are your own person."

Satori eyed him coldly. He was too quick to agree.

"I will be taking my Boxes, now."

"I'm afraid you can't do that."

"Let me guess: you have a man ready to kill my son if I so muc as touch them?"

"Something like that," Wrath steepled his fingers. "I have a man on your husband as he sleeps. One more step and he dies. Or..."

"Always an "or" with you."

"Or you take the Boxes with the promise to return to your reporting each evening."

Satori bristled at the thought of being put in that position. "No."

"Too bad," Wrath picked up a rapier and twirled it between his hands, "Your son is growing up nicely."

"Stay _away _from him!"

"I don't _enjoy _making people suffer, Major Satori, it is simply part of my job."

"Bullshit."

"Now you're just being rude."

"Stay away from my son, stay away from my husband, stay away from my friends, and stay away from me!" Clapping her hands, she brought her Boxes to her outstretched hands. "I'll be leaving now."

Wrath stood and blocked her exit in one smooth movement.

"I can't let you do that," he growled.

"Why not?' Satori glared at him.

Wrath smirked, beckoning into the shadows behind the chair he had previously occupied.

"Come on out, Fullmetal."

Ed emerged, holding Ryo's hand. He looked sick, like he hadn't eaten in days. His hair was a mess, and he had cuts—fine, as from a rapier point—on his face and tattering his gloves. Ryo looked a bit better: he was unharmed, but still had that has-not-bathed-in-days look and smell. His vibrant green eyes found Satori in a heartbeat, and he smiled—but made no move to go to her.

"You see why I cannot allow you to leave?" Wrath turned back to her.

Satori had not moved. She thought about making a dive for her Sang Kwua. "Bastard."

"Indeed!" Wrath laughed. "But unlike most bastards, I never had a mother to begin with."

Satori said nothing.

"So you see, alchemist, you have no choice. They are weak, they cannot run far before I catch you."

Satori's grip tightened on the Boxes. She looked from them to Ed and Ryo. Pain laced her chest at what she had to do.

"Let them go with me and the Boxes, and I will do as you ask."

"NO!" Ed wheezed, throat dry. "Satori!"

"Shush, Ed," Satori did not raise her voice above a mother's rebuking. "I know what I'm doing."

"Excellent!" Wrath clapped his hands happily. "As a show of good faith, I will give you your weapon as well. But know that if I see it down here again...I need not explain the consequences, do I?"

"No." Satori shouldered the Boxes, brining her Sang Kwua to her with a ripple of alchemic power. Ed and Ryo walked over to stand behind her. "Come on guys, I'm taking you home."

* * *

William opened the door as soon as he heard Satori knock. He had woken up to an empty bed and immediately began to worry. Satori came in, pecked him on the cheek, and came further into the room. Ed and Ryo followed her, nodding to Will as they passed.

Satori put the Boxes and her weapon down, then rushed to Ryo, hugging him close. Both were silent as the Elric brothers looked on.

"Where have you been?!" Will asked when Satori looked up at him.

"Out."

"_Out _where?"

"None of your business."

"You're my wife!"

"And he's my son! _Our _son, William!" Satori stood, holding Ryo protectively in the folds of her arms.

"He wasn't part of the Boxes!" William gaped. "How did he get pulled into all of this?"

"The bad man with the one eye," Ryo said matter-of-factly. "He took me and Ed."

"And I rescued them," Satori added.

"At the risk of your own life! Tell him what you bargained, Satori!" Ed could no longer keep quiet.

Satori put Ryo down, then stood up and squared her shoulders.

"I have agreed to return to Wrath's office every night in exchange for Ryo and Ed's safety."

"Return to do _what _exactly?" Will asked.

"What we began before the wedding."

"What did you begin before the wedding??"

This was it. She couldn't hide it anymore. Rikuno had entered the room and taken up position behind Satori. Squeezing her shoulder, Rikuno locked eyes with Will.

"Wrath had her come to his office every night and he would ask her questions. If she answered something that he didn't like, he would lash her with a riding crop. All she did was stand in the middle of a rug and answer questions. At the end of those nights, she would come home and I would help her clean and dress the wounds. We hid them from you because we knew you would worry. Satori has agreed to go back and endure that again in exchange for her family's safety."

Now Rikuno turned to her friend.

"What other choice do I have?" Satori sighed.


End file.
